I'm going to call the meeting to order. Will you join me in the pledge of >> 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. >> Good evening. Welcome to the Monday, May 11 meeting of the Westport Select Board under Mass General Law, Chapter 38, Section 20F. This meeting is being recorded. um have just a few announcements. First, I wanted to thank some people for some
events that happened uh recently. We had the Abner Brownell Paul uh Westport Paul Rivere reenactment that happened recently. Even despite the rain, we didn't get a real horse, but we got an artificial horse. Um so, thank you to uh the Westport MA250 committee for putting
that on. Um I want to call out there's a lot of recreation department programs going on. We have some people talking about recreation. Um, the note that I had specifically in my packet was reminding me about the shell art that happened, but there's a lot of programs for adults and for young people coming up. So, go check out Westport
Recreation's uh web page. And then I just want to acknowledge um the 237 people that attended town meeting um this year. That was on Tuesday, May 5th. Um it was about a three-hour long meeting. We got um everything accomplished that we were trying to
accomplish. So, I want to thank the moderator um for uh his second town meeting. I want to thank the town clerk and the pole workers um and um the police department that was there um to just make everything went smoothly. So, thanks to all who attended. Um we do
have a couple of events coming up. Our next meeting is not until June 1. This is a three-week gap um to accommodate the Memorial Day holiday. So, um our next meeting is June 1, but between now and then, we have the tough kids challenges coming up this weekend. Um
I'm don't know where you look find information about that but I'm sure go go go online look for the tough kids challenge and then um a reminder that on May 30th we're starting off the summer farmers markets. Um but really what I wanted to do the big events that we're going to have in town is our Memorial Day commemoration. So I'm going to
invite Carol Freighus up to tell us what's going on for that. Good evening everybody. Is this on? Yes. Uh so we have several events coming up this Saturday the 16th. We're going to
be flagging the three large cemeteries, Maple Grove, Lynen Grove, and Beach Grove. Uh Maple Grove and Linden Grove will be at 9:00 in the morning. And then uh Beach Grove will be at 10:00 in the morning. Uh so if anybody is interested in volunteering, I could use the help.
And then on May 23rd is our annual wreath laying ceremonies. So that starts at 9:00 at the VFW on Route 6. And then at 9:15 we go to the American Legion on Sanford Road. From there we go to Latessa Square at 9:30. And then we go
to Fontaine Bridge on Route 88 at 10:00. And then we finish up at Westport Point at 10:15. So we will be done by about 10:30. And then at each location we have a little ceremony with a rifle salute, uh placing of a wreath, a prayer, and the playing of taps. Uh, and then on
Monday, May 25th is Memorial Day. So, weather permitting, we will have our ceremony, which steps off from the parking lot right here at 9 at 9:30. So, anybody who wishes to be in the parade should be here no later than 9:00 a.m. We will start with a little ceremony
outside at 9:30 and then proceed down to Beach Grove Cemetery and have a ceremony there at 10:00. If the weather does not cooperate, then we will move the ceremony, just the ceremony indoors and we will cancel the parade. So, if we do move it indoors, it will be at the town
hall annex gym at 10:00 a.m. And I will post updates on both the uh veteran services page of the town's website and also the Westport VSO Facebook page. Thank you. >> So, Saturday, May 23rd in the morning, there's a series of Stay there because I'm going to bump your agenda item. So,
uh, Saturday, May 23rd, starting at 9:00, um, is visiting the different memorials around town. And then on, um, Monday, May 25th, um, 9:00 if you want to participate in the parade, um, we'll have a ceremony and then 10:00 a.m. the
se at the cemetery if the weather is good and at the annex if it's not. >> Yes. >> Okay. Right. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Um, I want to just, because you're here, I was just going to bump up your action item. Um, so we're going to switch to action item 5D. Um, so 5D is a request
from the veteran service officer to accept a $50 donation from Deborah and Adelino Maderos for flag markers for veterans graves and and to discuss the activities which you just did but um so uh
the Carol can't take direct uh donations directly so we have to accept the donations that are made to her department. Did you have anything you wanted to say about that? Uh, so I just wanted to say the the flag markers are the round thermoplastic markers that that identify veterans grave. It says US
veteran on it. Years ago, we received about $6,500 in donations, and I bought a lot of grave markers, but they get broken over time, so I do need to replenish them, and I think I have about $1,500 left in that account. So, this a little bit will will help. Uh, and I'm
hoping to get some more. probably not in time for this Memorial Day, but for next Memorial Day. Um, so we can have brand new grave markers at the approximately 1300 Veterans Graves here in Westport. Right. Thank you. Do I have a motion to accept the donation?
>> Second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I That's unanimous. Thank you, Carol. Anything else, Carol? >> Uh, no. I'm good. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, did I miss any acknowledgements or recognitions that I should have covered?
>> I know I skipped ahead. Okay. U, so next item we have on the agenda is a public hearing. We have a request from Nokachoke River LLC for a six-month seasonal trailer permit for recreational purposes to locate a trailer at 109 East Beach Road. The property is shown on
assessor's map 76A, lot 34. Do we have all the paperwork in order for that? Good evening. Yes, we do. We do. >> All right. Is there anybody here to talk about that, >> Madam Chair and board members? John
Gford representing Noachchoke River. Um it's a lot that I purchased last year. It's my first year, so I understand there has to be a hearing on it. Here I am. >> Okay. And you understand the um the conditions. You have to be out by a certain time. You can't get put stuff
can't leave stuff there. All the good rules that we have around that. >> I've seen them all. >> Okay. All right. Any any questions? >> No. Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Second. >> Is is there any discussion? All in favor?
>> I. That's unanimous. Enjoy. >> Appreciate it. Thank you very much. >> Enjoy the walk. >> See you. Okay. Um, we have a request from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to hold their annual cycle of life ride on Saturday, September 19 with a rain date of Sunday, September 20. Do we have a
recommendation on this? >> Uh, we do. Um, so within your packet, you do have um recommended police details at the key intersections, but overall um support the event. Recommend approval. >> Is there any discussion? I'll move the
uh event, Madam Chair. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> All in favor? >> I I That's unanimous. We have a request from the Buzzards Bay Coalition to hold their annual Buzzards Bay wershed ride on October 4, 2026. And do we have all
that paperwork in order? >> Uh yes, we do. We're expecting between three and 400 participants. Um, police again recommend approval uh and suggest traffic support at key intersections plus they ask uh that the volunteers wear safety vests.
>> Is there anyone here for that? >> Okay. >> I recommend approval subject to all the conditions that the police department have placed on the event. >> Second. >> Is there any discussion? All in favor? >> I I that's unanimous.
Um, we have the self-nomination form for the Southeastern Massachusetts Metropolitan Planning Organization, SMMPO. Um, Chris, can you tell us about this? >> Sure. Um, so Serpent is asking if any board member is interested in serving on
the SMMPO, which helps decide regional transportation priorities and funding. Uh there are two seats up for election in June 2026 and if any of our board members are interested um it's a self-nomination
form uh that has to be back by June 15th. >> All right. Thank you. Anybody want to nominate themselves for that? >> No. Okay. Well, if you do talk to Chris. Okay. Um, we have a request from zoning
board of appeals chair Roger Manard to accept the resignation of Constanski. >> Anybody did you want to say something? >> Go ahead. >> Can I say something first? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Mr. Manard, >> I just want to say Constance has been a valuable member of the zoning board for
more than 10 years, right? >> Yeah. >> 10 years. She's been very dedicated. Uh, I can't say enough about her and uh I think she should be commended for her service and I support anything that uh any decision that she makes.
>> Thank you, Miss Gee. >> Thank you. Yeah, I would just like to say that I have really enjoyed serving on this board. It's been incredibly educational. You learn so much about the town from so many different angles and uh and Roger's just a remarkable chair.
So, it's been a true honor for me. I really appreciate it. I would like to leave the board of select with one heartfelt recommendation that I think would be very very helpful for this town and that is that we desperately need a
second building inspector in Westport. It's just too much for one person to handle. We've got so much development going on. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> I move to uh accept Miss Gay's uh resignation with regret.
Second. >> Is there any further discussion? >> All in favor? >> I >> I That's unanimous. And we have a request um from the zoning board of appeals chair Roger Manard to reappoint the following regular members. George Stelgis, Janice Day, and Kevin McGoff.
>> You just want us to reappoint them? >> I'll say. >> Okay. Go ahead. >> You have to go to the mic. >> Yeah. um these three members uh we're really fortunate to have the it is a very diverse group and I sure that you know everybody that's that's on on any
committee knows that having a a a diverse set of opinions is is is really important and and I certainly support uh the continuation of of these three members >> and and do does that still leave you with an opening then with >> Miss G with with constants
designation. Now, she is a regular member. Uh I'm going to pull the uh two alternates to see if one of them would like to become serve out the rest of of Constance's uh term. I think you have a couple years left. So, uh that'll be coming up at the
next meeting and then hopefully we'll get back to you and uh hopefully either Janice or Kevin uh will agree to to become a permanent member and then we'll be looking for a an additional alternate. Thank you.
So was the pleasure of the board. >> So moved, Madam Chair. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> I. That's unanimous. Um we have a rec request from um Dana Stewart, recreation director. Dana's not here yet, but Andrea Dunar is here um representing the
recreation commission. Um so we have a request to appoint the following lifeguards for the 2026 season. Everything okay over here? Um, Michael Cro Croto, sorry, Michael, Daniel Barnes, Leonardo Hatchim, Coltray
McGonagal, Brandon Maderos, Luke Maderos, Avery Averos, Anton AJ Boxler, Marcos Dutra Afagano, Elijah McGonagal, Philip Brahmage, and AJ Andrew Pickering Jr. I move that I um first of all I ex
um want to declare a conflict of interest and we'll remove myself from the discussion and the vote. >> Move to approve. >> Second. >> There any discussion? Did you want to say anything about the life? >> I just wanted to um Andrea Dumbar on behalf of the recreation director Dana Stewart. I'm the uh chair of the
recreation commission. I just wanted to um report to uh the board that the majority of the guards that are uh coming on are returning from last year. There is one new hire, Andrew Pickering Jr. Um there will be 12 total lifeguards this summer. All of their paperwork has
been completed and their Corey checks have been done. Um there will be a pre-ervice lifeguard training um at the beginning of the summer. Um that will be run by Dana and um Michael Croto, the head guard. Um the lifeguards will be out on the beach starting on June 13th
through Labor Day weekend. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Right. Okay. So, we have a we had a motion, a second. >> Is there any discussion? >> All in favor? >> I >> I So, that's four in favor and one abstain. Um, we have a request from the director
of marine services, Bill Chase. He's got several on here. Captain, >> uh, we have a request to, uh, appoint Aiden Hollard, to assistant harbor master. >> Madam chair, members of the board, good evening. Uh, I did not get Aiden's.
There he is. I didn't know if you were going to make it. I didn't get Aiden's name uh on the agenda in time. Uh Aiden is a second year student at Mass Maritime Academy. Um Rick and I interviewed him. He was a very
impressive young man. We actually thought he might be military. This kid was pretty squared away. Anyway, uh he was kind of a late addition. Um, but we're putting his name forward for uh approval as an assistant harbor master
for the 2026 season and we hope beyond. >> Thank you. >> It's the pleasure of the board. >> Motion to approve. Second. >> Is there any discussion? >> All in favor? >> I >> I that's unanimous. Then we have a request u for a proclamation supporting National Safe Voting Week.
>> Yes. So this Rick brought this to my attention. I didn't even see this one coming. You want to talk about this one? >> Sure. Okay. Um, thank you, director. Um, safe boating week, uh, it's a national program that takes effect the 16th to the 22nd, and it is basically a PSA
social media type, um, program where we want to get the word out on safe boating, um, wearing your life jackets, how to navigate courses, uh, sobriety and whatnot. Um so we have a full course of things that will be on social media
to promote safe boating. Um biggest thing that we're interested in right now are life jackets, making sure that people wear them and wear them properly. So it is our hope that the proclamation will uh you know bring it to the forefront of the community.
>> Right. Great. Did we did we get a pro is there a proclamation document or anything? So, we do not have draft language before us this evening, but if the board is in support um following uh the vote tonight, I'm happy to work with them on uh coming up with that language.
>> Okay. Right. Any questions? What's the pleasure of the board? >> Move approval. >> Second. >> Is there any discussion? All in favor? >> I >> I got your proclamation. We'll sign it when we have something to sign. Um, we
have a request uh to hang a banner promoting Shell Stock 2026. >> Yes. So, Shelltock is going to happen on the 15th of August uh this summer from 3 till about 7. Uh, we didn't do it last year. We had some uh scheduling conflicts and we couldn't make it
happen. Uh, basically, if you don't know what Shell stock does, it raises money for shellfish propagation activities within the river and it enhances all the other monies that we bring in. Uh in 2024 when this went off uh we raised about $31,000 and change. So this is a
big deal for us. Uh the big difference this year compared to previous years uh Shellto has basically been a group of u well-meaning volunteers. Uh this year is a 501c3. So if any of you have any mad
money left over and you need a little tax deduction, um give us a call. Um, so we're asking uh for the banner to be hung up hopefully two weeks prior to the event. I don't know what that typically is. You put it up for two weeks, three weeks, I don't know, but I've been
tasked by the uh committee to ask for permission to hang it. >> So, we have we have lots of banners going up over the summer. So, you have to coordinate with Carla specifically when when they'll go up or down. But, anything on that? >> So, I never heard of Shelltock. What
takes place at Shelltock? because it sounds like a good time. >> Oh, so we've got Roomful of Blues coming in for uh entertainment. This happens over at the uh the fairgrounds on Pineh Hill Road. Um it's a big social event. To me, it's anybody who's anybody in Westport shows up for this one.
>> Um >> my daughter's favorite event is the Buck Shuck Oysters, which I'm sure she'll hoping that you'll continue. >> By the way, we're looking for some volunteers to shuck cohogs. Uh if you have that skill, >> sign them up. Can you >> Yeah, sure. Very well.
>> There's another one, Rick. We got Okay. >> Um, got it. >> Anyway, so um that's pretty much what it is. It's a great time. It's just, uh, it's it's the purest form of Westport short of, uh, the Westport fair, I think. >> Motion approve.
>> Second. >> And apparently you're volunteering. This is about >> All right. All in favor? I >> I That's unanimous. We'll supply the apron wreck covered. >> And we have a request for final approval of the sites for the oyster restoration
projects when >> I'm going to step out and let Dan Is Dan here? I didn't see him on here. >> Oh, he didn't make it. Okay. Rick and Dan have been working on this project. So Rick is the better man to speak to about this. Uh if I could just throw in one little diddy before we uh carry on.
Wednesday at Spin Rock Club, we're doing a joint oil spill exercise uh with Dartmouth. So, it's Dartmouth, Westport, it's the Coast Guard, it's DP, uh, Westport Fire, Dartmouth Fire, everybody in between. So, we're going to actually
do an oil spill, uh, drill, uh, in that. And so, if any of you are interested in coming, um, I've been asked to ask all of you uh, to attend >> and the public should not be alarmed that this is a drill on the 13th. >> Well, that that's why it's happening on
May 13th because the river is still relatively empty right now. So before we wrap up this boom amongst all the moorings, uh this this is a great time to try it. So >> Okay. >> Right. Oyster restoration. >> Okay. Um thank you, Madam Chair. I I'm sure everyone remembers we were here
about a half half a dozen months ago to talk about this oyster program and rebuilding and restoration of the reefs and the river for the benefit of the fishery as well as the river and the health of the river. Um we were fortunate enough to get your blessing to move forward. We have been moving
forward with the department of um marine fisheries as well as the nature conservancy to uh build oyster reefs um within the Westport River. And on the um slide up there, you will see the reefs
that we have been working with. Um the marine services division as well as um shellfish and TNC and marine fisheries have spent a lot of time up there trying to figure out where the best place for oyster reefs would be to
regenerate the oyster fishery, which is pretty much dying within the West or has died within the Westport River. Um just last week we were out with the U marine fisheries divers. We went down on odov on all those sites. Those substrate is
perfect for reefs. Um they are not in navigable channels. They're out of the way. If um you look starting from the top in the northeast corner of the river um opposite as you come down from Hicksbridgeidge is the first one. Then the next one's in the cove. The next one
is just below Lakes Island as you make the turn around the tip there of Cadmin's Neck and then you go around to the right Cadmin's Neck inside Cadman's um Cadmin's Cove, excuse me. And what we did was we moved down to upper spectacle
and lower spectacle and we put small sites in there which are out of the way of pretty much everything. One of the things that we took into effect there is a lot of people recreate on those two islands and we wanted to make sure that we were further off um on good soil to
generate these oyster reefs. Um so we pretty much finalized them in our mind on where they should be. Uh we've talked to the shell fishing community. We've talked to just about everybody um including the residents along Cadman's
Neck who have given us their support. Um so we're hoping that we will get the nod tonight to move forward and start to build these reefs out. Um I think it's important we all think it's important um including the watershed alliance and
many others in town that we we launch this uh program which um basically is only costing the town in t in kind um time and or money. Uh, basically it's our labor once in a
great while to go up um and inspect the sites, make sure that they haven't been followed by either boats, vandalism, or anything else that might cause problems up there. We're on our patrols are up there all the time anyway, both shellfish and harbor masters. Um, when
I'm doing shellfish work, I'm up there every day. So, we keep an eye on them and we're hoping that the board will give us a blessing to move on and and continue on with this project. >> Thank you. Any questions or comments? >> And they'll be clearly marked to prevent any harvesting prior to when they're
ready. >> Yes, they will. We're going to set buoys out. Um there'll be yellow buoys that are set out. In fact, if you go up there now, there's yellow buoys up there just that we have um gauges in the water now. We have some equipment up there. Um, so you'll see yellow buoys. It will clearly mark out the areas.
>> Motion to approve. Second. >> There. Any further discussion? >> All in favor? >> I >> I That's unanimous. Anything else? Get your waterways permits in. >> Uh, yeah, that's going pretty well, Madam Chair. Uh, I won't burden you with
the time involved in that discussion, but it's going okay quite well. >> So, >> all right. Thank you, gentlemen. >> All right. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. We have a request from uh Jennifer Belamer. Sorry, Jennifer. Uh for approval to operate a summer program at
the Cotamank Nursery School during the summer months, June, July, and August. Chris, um do you want to tell us about this? >> Uh certainly. So, as the board knows, uh we have a nursery school that is located within the town hall annex. Um the
school has historically operated in line with the school year, so September to the spring. um you know this year uh that's changing a little bit where we do have um uh Kotamug proposing a summer program now during the summer is pretty
busy over our annex and so um a wanted to have the conversation with the board to make the board aware of it. Um the other thing is this is an expansion of their program outside of what has been their normal operating hours. So, um, just wanted to update the board this
evening and, um, get your sign off. >> Thank you. And I think we asked the recreation commission to weigh in. >> Yes. Again, thank you, Madam Chair. I'm Andrea Dumbar, chair of the recreation commission on behalf of Dana Stewart here tonight. Um, the recreation department holds day camps in the annex
gym throughout the summer. Um, from about 8:30 a.m. setup, uh, camp from 9 to 3 and then clean up until 3:30. Um we also have some late afternoon um and evening programs and events. Um we also have gym rentals um in the evenings and
on the weekends. Um the camp programs and the gym rentals make up the recreation department's revenue that helped the department run effectively. Um recreation director Dana Stewart has spoken with the owner of Cottunk Nursery School um Jennifer Belummer and they
have come to an understanding to hopefully make it work for both parties over the summer months. Um the understanding between the recreation department and Kotty Monk is as follows. Cotty Monk would not be able to use the gym during the summer months, but would use the playground or park space for
active play or use their classroom space if there's rain. Um the gym bathrooms would be shared with the camps in Codam. Um the use of an orange cone or curtain uh will be an indicator for the camps if Codam is using the bathrooms and they
would try to wait their turn until Kodamunk is done. Um the outside playground and and park spaces will be used by both the recreation department and Konamunk as well as the general public as they are open recre recreation spaces for all. Um to the extent that
the board would like uh this information in a written document um to add as an addendum to the lease uh we can certainly provide that as well. >> Um Chris, do you have a recommendation? Um, no. I, you know, again, this was not
something that was specifically laid out within the lease. Uh, the language, uh, was pretty vague when it came to this subject. Uh, I feel comfortable that the conversations has been had between, uh, Kamunk and our recreation department. So, um, recommend approval.
I think though I would be comfortable if we recommended appro I I'll recommend approval subject to implementation of anou >> theou to the effect of what she just said. >> Yes. >> I'm going to recluse myself from this. >> Okay.
>> A second madam chair. >> All right. Is there any discussion? >> Um one note on that for theou. Uh, is that something that the board wants back or does the board want me to work out the details that were discussed and sign on behalf of the board?
>> I'm happy with as maker of the motion. I'm happy with it what you proposed that you would do it. Do >> you want to authorize him to sign theou as part of your proposal? Part of your motion? >> Why not? >> Okay. I'm just asking you made the motion. No, I mean I I just I just I
like I like when you when you change relationships or create some new new dimensions to it, it's always good to put it in writing >> and so if there's any anybody leaves or positions change that we you know it's understood. >> Did who who seconded that was?
>> Yeah, I I agree with that. >> Okay. All right. Any further discussion? >> All in favor? >> I >> I So that's u four in favor and one um abstain. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. >> Ross Moran did not have to wait more
than half an hour today. Fantastic. >> For those of you who are not familiar with Ross, he frequently has to wait hours uh before he gets here. We have a request um from Ross Moran, the Westport Land Conservation Trust to approve two conservation restrictions. conveyance of
an approximate 34 acre conservation restriction located at 585 Main Road from land conservation trust to Buzzard's Bay Coalition and conveyance of an approximate 52 acres conservation restriction known as Greenwood Park
assessors plot six lot six from the Buzzards Bay Coalition to Westport Land Conservation Trust. So you're swapping some conservation restrictions. You want to tell us what's going on here? >> Got it. Thank you, Madam Chair. So, uh, Ross Maran, executive director of the Westport Land Trust. Uh, last year, both
of our organizations purchased two different parcels in town. Uh, I'll speak first about the parcel we, uh, we purchased. It's 34 acres off of Main Road to preserve a tributary of Snell Creek provides some additional public access about a new mile long trail. For
those who don't uh if you're trying to think about where this w is located on Main Road, it's north of Lee's um just north of Potter's uh which is on the east side. This is on the west side and there's a little field over there that agriculture has been happening in for
quite some time. To retain the agricultural component of the project, we we are entering into a a really cool partnership with the Westport Food Pantry. Um this uh past spring we actually planted about a thousand blue blueberries, raspberries, and blackberry
plants that'll be harvested by the food pantry two or three years from now for distribution locally. So this property is meant to um kind of check all the boxes of what we love to preserve here in town. Um so we are conveying a conservation restriction to the Buzzers
Bay Coalition as a requirement of a state grant to receive some funding for the project. Uh in this case the the CR uh the conservation restriction does not include any interest from uh the town of Westport just approval by the select board.
>> And then what's the second part? >> Uh so the second one is a separate conservation restriction. It's on a 52 acre uh two parcels up in the north end of town um that are uh at the headarters of Bread and Cheesebrook. Um they've retained they have quite a bit of
wetland that feeds into uh bread and cheese brook up there. It's a really important part of the brook. Um bread and cheese is one of the tributaries that then leads into the east branch and is uh considered a cold weather fishery resource here in town. Um the land also
from a historical component used to be an old mill pond. It's a really beautiful property up there. Um both of these conservation restrictions guarantee um public access in perpetuity. >> Okay. Thank you. You have questions or
comments? >> So these are existing conservation restrictions. They're just switching who has the restriction. >> Yeah. So we own the 34 acre parcel. The Buzzards Bay Coalition owns the 52 acre. Um and then we're granting each other conservation restrictions and seeking
your approval of the select board as required by MGL for those restrictions. >> Thank you. Question. >> Do we need to vote on each one independently? >> Do we need to vote them independently? >> I would. >> Okay. >> Go ahead. >> Motion to approve the first one which is the conveyance of 34 acres um from
Westland Conservation Trust to Buzz Bay Coalition. >> Second. >> Is there any discussion? >> All in favor? >> I. That's unanimous. Motion to approve the second conveyance of an approximately 52 acres um from the Buzzards Bay Coalition to Westland
Conservation Trust. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> I I that's uh unanimous. >> Thank you very much. >> Going on. >> We have lots of stuff going. >> Okay. >> Uh you know, we have um some additional
uh land preservation projects right now. We have a really exciting one off of Drift Road um that the community preservation committee is supporting. It's the preservation of the former peaceful acres or orchard on Drift Road which um we hope to also use as uh a
place to tell the story of the many small farm families in town. So we'll be doing some historic interpretation there. Um we hope to close on that later in the year. And we are always working with uh the recreation department and others across town to host programs. Um,
so you know, come join us for something fun and connect connect with the land. >> Right. Thank you. Um, if it's okay with the board, I'm going to bump up the barrier beach plan update. Do we have everybody here with that? All right. So, I'm going to we're going to uh go to 6A, the barrier beach
plan update. >> Welcome. >> Hello everyone. I'm Michael Burrus, the town planner in Westport. And with me, I have Justine Rooney from Woods Hole Group. She's a coastal scientist and planner, um, who's been helping us out with this project. And before she gets
into her segment of the presentation, um, since we do have a new select board member, um, Selectman Monday, I just wanted to go over some background of this project. So, in 2023 and 2024, there were a couple of significant
overwash events at um East Beach and some of the other barrier beaches. And these were pretty expensive to clean up. They were about $150,000 in um in labor and materials. And it took several days for the highway department to clean up that overwash. And um a portion of the
road was also um destroyed as well, which was subsequently rebuilt. Um but in light of what had happened then the the select board had asked the planning board to look into what kinds of grant funding we can secure to start to you
know plan for these types of scenarios. So the planning board applied a municipal vulnerability preparedness grant and two coastal zone management grants over the last two years that were awarded. Um we do have two of our funders here. um coastal zone management. Um they're available if you
have any questions for them now or or later. Um but after we we secured those grants, we started drafting the beach management plans for East Beach, Beach Avenue, and Atlantic Avenue. Um the purpose of these plans is to outline
recommended management practices, um permitting, and regulatory obligations. Um and then we'll use those plans as a basis for state and local permitting um for manipulating material uh in those
locations. And so um one important caveat I just just want to note is that these plans will only apply to public lands. Um they do not apply to private property. Um and also um for you all there there was one thing that we had
proposed and had talked to with uh various select board members about which was the splitting of material um on East Beach Road and that was that's something that we have decided to not move forward with. However, we would like to talk to you um or we decided not move forward
with it along the private property of East Beach. We would like to talk to you about um allowing the natural processes to play out on the town parking area and the um town beach area, but that's something that that we can uh Justine
can talk a little bit more about. Um so Justine, what she's going to do here tonight is give you an overview of the plan. Um changes to date, as I I had mentioned, some of the changes we have made. Um, and then after tonight, we're going to start to finalize the plan in
anticipation of asking the board at a future meeting to file a notice of intent with the conservation commission. So, I'll turn it over to Justine. >> Okay. Um, you can go to the next slide. So, I know we've talked with a few of you before, but just especially for the
public listening, if they haven't seen the project before, this is looking at the oceanfacing barrier beaches in Westport. and that's along Atlantic Avenue, Beach Avenue in East Beach Road. Some of the public have brought up that cherry and web was not included in this
planning process and we have noted that that could be something that is taken on in future. You could use the beach management plan developed during this process and carried into Cherry and Web as well. So that's not included because there's not a public road along that barrier beach section. So it's just
those three public roadways and the oceanfacing sections of the barrier beach. Um these areas are dynamic systems and they buffer inland areas um such as town roadways from coastal storms and flooding. They provide essential habitat for protected wildlife
and they support public access and recreation. Next slide please. Um one thing and Michael kind of already went into this but when we looked at this planning process we look at it we went into a comprehensive look of four key components. One, how are Westport's
barrier beaches used by the public? Um, two, how are the barrier beaches naturally responding during storm events? Three, what management practices were currently being taken on by or utilized by the town of Westport? And then four, what management practices
would best support the long-term integrity of the barrier beaches um while aligning with the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act in the Coastal Manual? So by examining all of these elements together, we felt that we were able to develop a set of best management
practices tailored to balance public use with the coastal resilience along Westport's barrier beaches. Um these management practices are grounded in an understanding of how these barrier systems work and function particularly during storms. Um and they're designed
to work with not against those natural processes. So as Michael just mentioned, the barrier beaches will serve as a basis for the order of conditions that will govern how these areas are managed. So there are things in the beach management plan that are bylaws such as the dog policy which are already
included and then there are certain practices which include the manipul manipulation of material. Those need to have an order of conditions um aligned with their work. Next slide please. So, the select board's key roles in our
mind are input and authorization of the barrier beach management plan. We're not asking for that today. We just wanted an opportunity to come talk to you about the plan. Um any potential bylaw changes that could come up as a part of the planning process, input on grant funding pursuits and allocation of town funds
for day-to-day management or long-term adaptation. So, we're really here just for an input um today. Next slide, please. As Michael mentioned, we put out a draft of the plan in January and there was uh
public feedback that we documented. Uh as a result of that public feedback, the plan maintains the practice of returning the overwash material to the ocean or southern side of East Beach roadway layout um as it the policy currently
stands. You can see along I know it's small, but I did my best to show the breakup. You can see that yellow section along the roadway um along the north and south side of that section of East Beach Road with the exception of a small parcel along the very western side of
the road. That's private property that abuts either side of the roadway. Um so the language has been updated in the plan to clarify that redistribution of material um to the north side will not be required. One thing that we do think
is important is that if material washes on to properties along the north side of the road, it should not be taken off of the north and return to the south. So really, when we're looking at the town's practice, we're talking about what's happening within the roadway layout, but
in order to work with the coastal processes, material should be left if it washes on to parcels on the north side. um retaining material on the north side of the road supports the natural landward migration and long-term integrity of the barrier beach. This
barrier beach naturally wants to shift and it wants to move and it wants to roll over itself and allowing some of that material to wash onto the north side of the roadway layout is important in terms of allowing the elevation of that side of the roadway to increase
especially as sea level rise changes. And so what Justine is describing with pushing the material to the south side of the road, that's actually consistent with the select board's current um interim management policy. What she is
talking about for the other end of the beach where there's public property, that's where there would be a modification of that policy. >> Yeah. Next slide, please. We can take a look at that. So now you can see in pink again very small but along the publiclyowned eastern section of the
roadway um we would propose that the overwash is when it's distributed along the entire um width of the roadway that the highway department would split the material down the middle of the roadway placing a portion seawward and a portion landward to support the natural
migration of the barrier beach system. Um this practice would be implemented by the town as it's reflected um as it reflects current commonwealth recommended best management practices. Um so part of this work was working with coastal zone management and getting their input on what the best management
practices would be at this site based on the wetlands regulations and the coastal manual and this was what was part of the recommendations. Um next slide. One other thing we had talked about is we just wanted to point out some of the other major feedback we got just so that
the select board was aware. One is that we really want to make it clear that the plan does not create new regulatory authority over private property. That was feedback that we got and we wanted to make sure that that's documented. We worked to go through the plan and as
much as possible highlight that fact more so that it's more clear. Um, activities on private land continue to be governed by local and state and federal regulations including permitting requirements under the wetland protection act and the Massachusetts
Endangered Species Act and others. Uh, the plan rather provides guidance and best management practices. It we hope that it improves coordination and clarifies expectations for various municipal departments. Um it does not override property rights or impose new
restrictions bes beyond those already established through existing regulations. Um next slide. Some of the other major feedback we got was that again they the public felt that we needed to better distinguish between
private and public jurisdiction. So language has been added. Um, the plan does not impose any new restrictions on the use of grills or fire pits on private property. That was something that was brought up. Um, and the plan does not impose new restrictions on dogs
on private property. Um, clarifying language has been added to ensure a clear distinction between public and private applicability. Next slide. So, one thing I wanted to add is that, you know, we will have a version ready
to post a new um version of the beach management plan that reflects all these changes. There have been other changes. For example, Chris had made a recommendation to turn the recommendation section or chapter into a table and add a bit more detail. So, we've done that. Um, we're extremely grateful for all of the feedback we've
gotten. We think it's helped to make a better plan and so we appreciate the public for their input. Um, but we wanted to talk a little bit more about that change since the last draft plan. And like Michael said, some of our next steps will be filing a notice of intent
with the Westport Conservation Commission. Um, and that will also include a Massachusetts Endangered Species Act Project review with Natural Heritage Endangered Species Program. Um, we ask we will ask at a future meeting for the select board's approval to file
that notice of intent. Um and then following incorporation of comments from Mass DP and Natural Heritage, um we would seek a select board endorsement of the final barrier breach management plan. So we would come back to you after we've gotten feedback from the
Commonwealth level review of that NOI application. Yeah, I think um and one additional thing that's going to occur between now and when we approach you next, which will probably be at the next select board meeting for that authorization to um move forward with the notice of
intent. We are going to have a virtual public meeting to have a similar sort of discussion as uh we're doing here tonight to just talk about what has changed in the plan. That'll be on May 20th at 6 PM. Um it'll be a virtual meeting so that way if there are folks
who, you know, still haven't made their way up here um from some of the uh particularly from East Beach with there being a lot of seasonal residents, if folks haven't made their way up here for the summer, they can attend that. >> Thank you. So, um I know I've had the
pleasure of of meeting with many people, including a bunch of geologists, um uh to have like the two-hour version of this meeting. Um so, I know that I've learned a lot. I appreciate the incorporation of a lot of the feedback you got. I know we worked really hard with the property owners down there
about where the highway department is moving the sand. Um, glad you were able to find kind of a middle ground here um with without having to go into the whole geological explanation why it's actually better to put the sand on the north side of the road. Um, I appreciate that you were flexible in that. Um,
gentlemen, any questions, comments? >> I think it's been mentioned a half dozen times, but there's been a dialogue with the East Beach Neighborhood Association throughout this whole process. Yes, we've um we had this so this project has been going on for about two
years and so um in an earlier phase we had a dedicated meeting just to communicate the results for East Beach. We actually did a series of meetings where we had them segmented by location in the plan. Um and they're going to receive uh I actually just talked to
Kevin Kurt um when was that? on Friday and he's the president of the each speech east speech improvement association um to let him know that this next meeting is upcoming on the 20th. >> Excellent. Thank you. >> Yeah, they've so they've been very involved in the process so far.
>> I'd like to echo the sentiments of uh Madame Chair with respect to the private property rights and the public. Obviously the the policy that the chair and others prior to my time put in on the select board for distribution of materials. I think uh this shows a a
great balance between obviously the public sector and the private sector and and coming to a solution that uh I think everyone is agreeable on. I I know this can always get contentious but I appreciate Michael and Chris Capone and others who have had the meetings and and set those meetings up and come to
something that I I think everyone can live with. So thank you. Yeah, I do think it's important to note though, just so the select board is aware, Mass D will review the policy. Um, and they will weigh in on whether or not they feel like it is permittable underneath under the wetlands protection act. So,
we will come back with any feedback that we receive from D. >> I do a good job blaming the state for stuff. So, I'll be happy to do that. I was curious as to as you know there are two agreements in place uh regarding a settlement in 2023
uh involving previous um concerns and that had to do more with permitting and then also we have a policy agreed to by the select board talking about the cobble and where it goes. Is there anything in this plan that runs a foul
of of those agreements as you see it now? >> That's a great question. I think one part of the plan that got a little confusing for the public and hopefully the recommendation that Chris made helped clarify that a bit more is we had some recommendations that the town could move forward with in the future if they
wanted to. Um, so we had those recommendations in the plan and I think there was some confusion on those changes happening right now as a part of the planning process. we just were documenting throughout our planning experience of feedback or things that we
heard um that could be taken on in the future. So there's no nothing in this plan that speaks to the removal of sheds or decks along East Beach um which is in that 2023 settlement. This is really
looking at that sediment when it washes onto the I mean there's more than just this one policy, but really when that sediment washes onto the roadway, whose job is it to move it? Who are we calling? When are we calling them? And
where is it getting moved to? Um it seems like in the past there there needed to be a little more clarification on roles and responsibilities. So the intention of the plan really was to provide a little more communication. And one nice thing about the notice of
intent filing is it will really clearly lay out whose role and how the process will be done. So we can also distribute that to the highway department. So they have a document that they can look to if they hire new staff or they have any turnover um that they have a document that they can give someone and say this
is exactly what our policy is. So there's no confusion on how it's done based on who's driving the equipment on a given day. >> The plan does acknowledge that there are different permitting paradigms at at play here. So for example, there's FEMA
flood plane regulations that have to be adhered to in this location. um obviously the wetlands protection act but the plan those are kind of separate buckets separate regulatory buckets that this plan while acknowledging them does not say you know the town should do x y
and z in these locations those are separate conversations the town would have to have um because in the agreement there are there is some language in there that exempts or it says that the town if you get an order from you know a federal regulatory agency you have to
move you know the town is able to move forward with whatever it is it needs to do. Um, and so that would be a separate conversation from the rest of this this plan itself. >> And I know we've been talking about East Beach, but I do just want to make it clear that the splitting of Overwatch
material, it there it would be split along Atlantic Avenue and Beach Avenue in the roadway layout. So, it's just important to note that that policy would be carried through consistently on that town property. And we have been working with the with Ross um because he is a
stakeholder down in that area as well. >> And the Elephant Rock Beach Club as well. >> And the Elephant Rock Beach Club as well. Yes. >> Did I answer your question? >> Yes. Yes. >> Yes. Sorry, Richard. We answered like eight more things we wanted to talk
about after that question. >> It's a very big plan document. Yeah, actually one of the edits to the plan was to try to slim down the document. Um, we've also been working to create some public facing um material. You have some of it in front of you now to point out to residents where to look through
the plan, kind of a user guide on because it's a very thick plan with a lot of information, but there's a lot of great info in there that the public could use. For example, we did um sediment characterization along all three beaches. So if someone
wanted to nourish their property, their private property, they could look to that sediment characterization data to find compatible material to bring in and nourish that property. So that's a really nice thing to have at their disposal. We want to make sure the plan makes it so that the public can
understand where to point to certain information. >> Anything else from the board? Any comments from the public? I didn't see you back there. >> Hi, my name is Kevin. I'm uh president of the East Beach Association.
Um I'll get right to the point. One thing that stands out to me is the report mentions private property rights and you've got 50 or so residents on the
north side of East Beach Road. And as we saw in late 23 and early 24, we had quite a bit of material on the road which passed over onto the north side of the road, making it pretty much impossible
for people to utilize their land without doing any sort of grading or whatever the situation might be. So they could utilize their private property. So my concern is that's been overlooked.
We've been told that that material has to stay there. I invited members of the Woods Hall group down to observe what we do down there in our community and my emails were unanswered.
So I feel as though this report has not taken into consideration all the concerns of the private property owners. I would respectfully say I appreciate the reach out to be told about what happened in your
conversations amongst yourselves to respect the private property rights and put the material back on the south side which will protect not only that area of the road but the private property owners themselves but it does nothing to address anything
on the north side and I feel as though was left out of the discussion after our meeting back in January to be able to take another step further to have more input in this report.
And I'm not really happy. I'm glad that some concessions have been made, but I think a little bit more can be done before we actually take this thing, propose it, and push it for a notice of intent. >> Thank you. Did you want to address any of that? Yes, Kevin. I do believe I did
respond to your emails and I'm apologize that you feel that I did not. Um I will note that I have not been able to go down in the past two months, but I have been down to the site many times and have seen what the lots look like. Um the plan does not state that that
material cannot be redistributed or manipulated along private property. The plan gives um guidance on best practices when it is manipulated. I understand that the trailers um need a flat surface in order to be placed, but this is a
really dynamic system um and the material wants to continue moving. Um so we do recommend that instead of a leveling that material is raised, potholes or divots are filled in um to try to raise up to a higher elevation.
But the the material when it washes over to the north side, there's in the plan, we don't recommend that people can't manipulate that material on their lots. That's something that people would be able to do provided they have a, you know, notice of intent, they have all their permits squared away.
>> Okay. So, it's just that you did that we didn't want to physically remove from the north side and move it to the south side. If it's you're saying if it's there it needs to stay there but they can >> which is what when the uh Yes. And and
the select board's policy right now is when it washes over to the north side of the road it the the town on the north side of the right ofway the town will leave it there. >> Right. The town right now doesn't move anything out of the right. Right. Yeah.
>> Any other comments? >> Hi. I'm Rebecca Haney with coastal geologist with coastal zone management. So for work on private property they do need to talk with the conservation commission. Um so any activities on the barrier beach removing material from the
north side of the road is not recommended. That's manipulation of a primary dune under the wetlands act. So there are going to be some challenges with that but that is a separate private property issue. um migration of the the barrier beach is part of coastal
processes. The more we interfere with it, the more challenges we could have down the road. So, we're trying to we've been providing technical assistance to this project trying to help balance those competing interests um and protect the the public interests and there's
it's a very vulnerable site. So, you know, we're we're a resource. We've been helping to support the town and um we're trying to help find that balance. >> Thank you. Anything else? So, you're not asking for any action
today? Um but you're going to have Can you just say again when that um public comment >> 20th 6 p.m. the it'll be a virtual meeting. We haven't set up the meeting link yet, but the flyer will go out sometime this week. >> Okay. So, check the town website for posting for that May 20th meeting for
public input. Yep. And then potentially on June one then you might be coming back for us to make some finalizations of the NOI. >> Yep. >> All right. Anything else before you let them know? >> All right. Thank you very much. >> Appreciate your time.
>> Now we're playing moving agenda again. So we're going to move up the um old high school reuse uh conversation. So, we're going to take up action item 5, the old high school reuse. So, I'm just going to um kick it off here. We did
have a email from the chair of the long-term building committee um Christopher Thrasher. This email was in February um who advised that they were not able to come up with a recommendation for town meeting. and um he he he says uh it
has become clear that the current committee is rather hopelessly deadlocked. I private publicly and privately implored members of the select board to end the long-term building committee and to take up the matter moving forward. So, I thought tonight we would talk about whether we wanted to
what we want to do with the long-term building committee and then I would also like to make sure that we get an update on um whatever going on right now and then we talk about how we want to approach this topic moving forward. >> Okay. >> I don't know what order you want to do
that. Um Craig, you are the member that was a liazison to the committee, right? and and I I I think I I've had conversations here before. Um I I I think we need to take a hard look
at the committee. Um perhaps disband it and reconstruct it around u what the what the projects we have now. Uh they they did they did retain RGB associates to come in. They did a review of all of the studies that have been
done previously on this and um and and became uh good subject matter experts on the issue of the high school former high school. It also sort of absorbed a lot of time and effort and there were a
couple of areas that weren't um paid attention to um one which is u one of the issues that I I I pointed out earlier the affordable housing opportunities there. It never seemed to make it on the agenda but I wasn't on
the board when that happened and so um I can't speak to what what happened at that point. Um I came I I I got I became the layers on to the long-term building committee in uh 242 24. Uh the other thing is not enough
attention paid to other buildings. Um we we sort of um what to do with the annex, what to do with uh how to balance the um the needs of the council and agent to grow and whether that involves giving up the current site or whether involves
sharing having space in both buildings. I think we're we we've been looking at the latter as as an approach and um and then the whole issue of if town annex is structurally um
deficient in terms of housing town offices. Uh what do we do with them and how do we also deal with this building? Do we do we um put extension on this building? uh do we move all town functions into the the old high school?
Um those are still issues that we we sort of ducked um when we looked at the the report that came before us about six months ago. >> And so Chris, I'm going to just fast forward to your 90-day report. So, you
actually had um a recommended uh in your infrastructure and capital section of your 90-day report, you actually had a recommendation about um for your per for these were for your goals, not necessarily the whole board, but could you want to talk about what you were think it's I'm specifically looking at
1.2 um about the long-term facility strategies. Can you tell us a little bit more about your thoughts about that? >> Uh certainly. So, um there's a lot of town own buildings here and facilities maintenance is something that is a uh
long-term expense to the town. Um as a um you know, large expenditure uh that the town is responsible for, we should have a plan for it. Um you know, the longer we go uh with deferred maintenance, um it's going to cost the town down the
road. You know, I know that there are have been a lot of conversations with regards to the use of our facilities. You know, do our existing facilities meet the needs of our departments? Um, and my hope was to have conversations
uh both about the former high school property and where the conversations have been since my start here as well as uh try to identify uh and summarize the concerns um that have been expressed about some of our other properties. So, including perhaps long-term needs and
investments here in town hall, looking at the condition of the annex um and putting forward a recommendation to the board as to a direction that we may want to consider. >> Great. >> Thank you. And can you also just talk a little bit about give us an update on
where we are with the um study was this study code compliance review. Can you just tell us where we are with that? because um that was the um council on aging had asked for a compliance review. >> Yes. Um so that is something that uh I've been in coordination with Ralph and
Bev on. Uh so we contracted with building fire and access here uh several weeks ago to do an updated code analysis of the area that they're looking to take over. Um within your packet, you do have a draft of that report. Um based off the
initial information, it does look promising where um only a limited investment may be needed in order to have some activity there. Um there's some additional conversations that Bev and Ralph plan to have um you know with
these consultants so that we can confirm uh that plan of action you know but our hope is um sometime soon we can come to the board with exactly what are those specific things um so that we can again continue the conversation about uh having the COA potentially use that
site. Just I also want to call your attention to because it we submitted a uh memo to the board uh from the affordable housing trust on the sec 22nd of April. Uh regrettably it did not it
it made it onto tonight's agenda but it did made it into our packet late this morning. So um I I um so I mean that's been >> that can you just summarize what that request is? Basically, it is to um
is to um if the site is determined sur this is talking about the high school. If the site is deemed surplus, the trust encourages the select board to consider developing housing on the high school property given its side accessibility existing conditions assessment and
municipal control. The site is well positioned to support a range of housing goals, including providing zoning relief for the creation of a variety of housing types, create rental and/or home ownership opportunities for low and moderate income households as well as
seniors, and clarify the 2026 housing production plan through the creation of 35 housable units, one-year uh certification. And then um some also looking at other uh
community uses where permitted by housing funding and other allowable services so that you can have a sort of a multi-ervice component to that which I think is what the senior center is pushing. Uh disposition of the property is a key way that relieves the town of
ongoing maintenance cost, improvements, environmental remediation or other pre-development needs. And uh and I think that um well the trust recognizes there are certain physical and infrastructure challenges including costs associated
with adaptive ruse demol demolition of existing structures either partially or in their entirety and on-site wastewater systems. Additional studies may be needed to fully evaluate these conditions within the context of a housing development scenario.
Experienced housing developers can assess these challenges and identify appropriate solutions and funding strategies. And the trust is able to provide financial resources to help address these constraints contingent upon the town taking steps to facilitate
the disposition of property for housing purposes. >> Thank you. So if I look at the way that I've been thinking about this is we have um kind of short, medium, and longer term um problems going on here. So in the very short run, we have this um
results of the code compliance for this would be for the more uh more rapid use of the facility for the council on aging um in in because there's not a long-term plan yet, right? So I think that is still continuing. So, you said you're
working with the building inspector and with Beverly Bish um to kind of advance whatever that proposal is and so that you'll come back to us soon with uh whatever recommendations there are if there's a cost associated with anything we need to do. So, that'll come back >> pretty quickly, right? Within the next,
you know, few months, right? >> Yes. >> So, then I think the problem becomes how do we want to how do we as a board want to continue the evaluation of the options here? because I believe that we should disband the long-term building committee. I believe that I agree with
them. They appear to be deadlocked and unable to make progress. Um, so you know, then what do we do? So we we can task the town administrator with coming up with a proposal. My thought was that we have two of us work with the town administrator to kind of put a proposal
not a proposal for the end state, but I the first thing is a proposal for how are we going to attack this problem, right? So I think some of the questions that we still have are if we talked about moving municipal office municipal offices over there, but we didn't get
corresponding what would what would the what what repairs need to happen to this build, you know, to the other buildings so that you could kind of put it a cost associated with it, right? We never really did get a comprehensive it would cost this much to move everything to the new facility, but if we didn't move it,
these are the repairs that we need to do for the buildings or the needs of the departments. I don't think we ever got a clear vision of that. So, um, but I also know the public doesn't really want another study. We've got a lot of studies out there. So, again, my thought was maybe we task two members to work
with the sele with the town administrator to kind of come up with a plan of attack here. But I'm open to other suggestions. >> Could I add to what Shauna said? Um I think that's a great idea as opposed to kicking it into committee where it's going to languish again. Um I think a lot of these answers have been found.
There's just no clear vision and these answers are scattered across the town. Um going back to like this is a complex problem set going back to my training in the military is like any complex problem set you always look for desired end state. I almost think that we should
come up with a desired end state from each board member and then work courses of action backwards to say this is what it would take to get to that desired end state and then meet back up and figure out okay here's two desired end states we'd like to proceed with and maybe bring those to the voters.
>> I like that. I think if we try and flesh stuff out without an end state, we're going to end up in the same situation where we're circling around versus just each of us come up with one end state and then we present here's what these five end states would cost and what the timelines would be.
Madam Chair, I like that approach, but I think we should add that we should put an end date on this 100%. April 13, 2027. That's the election day in 27. I'm pretty sure it's the 13th. >> Yeah. >> Uh and then work backwards from that and
any necessary special town meetings could occur before then. But if you have an endo date and and this is it. There's no other committee. It's us. We got to make a recommendation put it before the town. If it one of the components is debt exclusion, fine. That would be
decided on April 13th and that's it. Uh it will or it won't. And if if these measures, whatever they may be, don't pass, then it's over. You get rid of the property. That's what we have to do. It's you can't just go on. We can't go
on forever with this going back and forth. We've got to show a seriousness about this and hope that we can convince the voters of of a logical approach that will meet their approval. And if it's something that's not going to meet their approval, well, then it's over before it
even begins. But I think it's critical to put an end date on this because that tells people we're serious. We're going to get this done one way or the other. Some people aren't going to like it, but we're going to make our best efforts to do that. >> Madam Chair,
>> obviously this is a contentious issue again in this community and it's been going on for way too long. Um, I've said this for the past year and then when I was running for office last year, none of these ideas are mutually ex exclusive. So, I I I agree with Rick's
point is that we need to figure out how to get to that point. But at the same time, any discussion about kind of the disposition of the building, I think is is probably a mistake because I think that there should be a couple of members here at least working with the school
committee and the superintendent as to what that building is currently used for from a school standpoint. Um, let's calculate the amount that it would take to build fields elsewhere on the new camp on the campgrounds that they have access to. the facilities that use that building for storage, the admin offices
which have to be located in a different location in town, the rec sports that use the gym, and the afterchool care that is currently in there. So, where okay, we dispose of the building, but we're going to spend 12 to 15 million to find places for kind of these other five
um you know, things that currently the school committee is using that building for. I think there's a short term, as pointed out, a medium-term, and a long term. And I think the short term is figuring out how to get the Council of Aging in there in there. For the past year, a year and a half, we've been trying to get the Council of Aging in
there. And I think we have that study and hopefully have a way to get them in there for the short term. And then we look at that medium medium-term. I I think the housing component is is a is a great idea, but we need to figure out exactly how that's going to impact the
rest of the building. Can you have housing there? if you move municipal municipal offices in there or if you have obviously the after school care or council of aging, does that cause an issue? Um, but I think that that's I don't have an issue with that. I think
that that's also a way, but that's not a short-term thing, right? That's that's a long-term I think that'll probably be beyond, you know, my three years sitting on this board. I want something immediate. I you know, I think people want to see something done. Everyone I talked to in the community, what's going to happen with high school? what's going
to happen with the high school. Something needs to happen. They need to see some progress. And I think getting at least the council of aging in there based on that study, I'd be happy to volunteer on that committee to work with Chris, to work with the superintendent, um, Dr. Roy to figure out exactly what's
being used in there and then figure out with the Council of Aging how to get in there. I mean, I I would like the deadline to be I would like council of aging in there before April 13th. If it's a shortterm, you know, short money to get them in there and to use that facility and then there's a an intermediate plan. I think we could also
go down that road, too. >> So, so to add to what Jake said is like he already has presented a desired end state. It's not my desired end state, but a desired end state there is if you divest that property, figure out the total costs to move all the stakeholders and users of that building elsewhere and
then the cost to either sell it or tear it down and whatever. So there's an end state. >> So I think like I said, find end states and we'll work backwards. >> And I think that the whole thing comes down to messaging. I think the public has not been and this is not a function
of anyone at this table or anyone here is is the messaging. I think if you craft a strong enough message saying if we get rid of the building what it's going to cost what it's going to cost to move the school facilities elsewhere and if you if not and we agree on a say a
$12 million budget to outfit it for whatever we put in there that makes more sense. It all comes down to nobody has any clue what's going on on this thing's been studied to death for 5 years and nobody really has any understanding as to what direction we're going in. So, I
agree with Dick that there has to be an end date, but I actually even believe that that end date should be sooner. I would like to start not another committee, but work with with with Chris, work with the the school committee and have an answer to you before the June 1st meeting and then
almost every meeting have another action item as to where we're going and and how we're getting in there. I'm I'm afraid that another two or three months goes by on this COA study, you know, okay, now we're we're back to the fall and then we get bumped into the winter. And I just I
would rather have more concrete attainables as opposed to a year down the road. >> I the problem I have with that is that we we we're going to bump other things off the off the agenda. we we've we've
sort of committed ourselves to the Council on Aging with a couple of you know caveats to it and I I agree with you if we if we have started that process and we've looked at the building um uh codes and
everything else and and we we can proceed let I agree we should do that but I I I also think that we have never you know when you look at housing development getting back to Um my particular concern
among others um those projects generally use outside developers. We're not t so what what what do outside developers use? They bring resources that and and the ability to access tax credits and other financing that we don't have as a
town. So when you talk about housing development, you're not talking strictly about how we going to go it alone and construct affordable housing for the town of Westport and pass an override for that, but how do we basically engage
the services of of a private um housing development entity? No village is a classic example. We had we had t land that had been acquired and through tax title and some other vehicles had been sitting uh around for a while. The
disposition of that was the RFP the site for housing development. There was a decision also that that a portion of the property uh should have gone to the land conservation trust uh to preserve the property. So the the deal that was
brokered was we did an RFP uh for the development of housing. We did a did a an agreement with the uh land trust for the conservation land that that abuts it
and but was part of the parcel. And uh two, we uh subsequently hired the same uh development entity to be the management entity because one of the concerns about bringing in developers is they come in and they they do the
development but then they walk away. Yeah, we we did choose a development entity that had the ability to manage the property and had a commitment to see the project through uh both stages, not only the development of it and the construction, but the management of of
of the tenants. And something that there was a lot of concerns and a lot of angst about when we first talked about that has it's nothing. There's there's no complaints. There's no one says, "Oh, that awful neighborhood over there on Nokach Village." know, it's it's it's
generally viewed by residents of the town as an asset, as a community asset, and it's an attractive place. I mean, so enough of my I'll get off my soap box. >> Craig, could I offer um just a thought
um as opposed to sending it out to um have another study done in regards to low-inccome housing there, would it would you be amicable to trying to find similar projects that took place in the Commonwealth and then use those as an example for what We we did that before and and and when when you look at these
entities, they should have people who have some expertise in other areas and also that that their demographics so their experience level is similar. So >> So you can see then that that information. >> We're not we're not making it up as we go along. What we're doing is looking at
a process because housing in that building and grounds has never been part of the of of the evaluation of that property. And uh and and that's that's uh and that decision
was made before all but the the three of us that got on the board most recently were not part of that. and and um and I think we I'm just asking that we revisit that now that we have the
building is back ostensibly under the control of the select board. >> So I know that >> always has been but right now we we were deferring to the long-term building. >> Yeah. I I just think that if we find a project where it's been done already, we can say, "Hey, these costs are going to be similar to the town. These costs are
going to be similar." And we can use that as a basis without having to actually go into a study for it. >> Yeah. So, the the concern that I have, so we did task at one point the long-term building committee with evaluating turning it into municipal offices to move um most of the annex,
the council on aging, some of the facil the services here um to move them into the schools. So, there was a brief that you were you I don't know if you were on the committee. We that was part of the charge as to what part >> the charge was
municipal offices and I know that um the finance committee chair and I both were saying you need the comparison you need the if we move this if we move the council on aging out of their current building and move them over there that saves you money on that property or if
you don't move them what repairs are needed to that property right so you look at each of the building you look at each of the um now I think The reason that the long-term building committee abandoned that is because it was becoming prohibitively expensive. So, it was it was one of those like it was now
$70 million or something like that. And then and then it changed the the purposing. So, >> I like the idea of us like here's the here's the path that we want to pursue and let's vote on the path we want to pursue and just go on a path. I I agree
completely, Dick, with needing an end date. What I worry about with and I and I think, you know, and I what I worry about is in order to get on an April 13 ballot, you have to have had your, you know, your final decision about where
you're going to go a month in March, right? >> Oh, yeah. And then that means you have to have had enough information to about a design or the potential total cost, you know, a couple months ahead of that. So I'm fine with I think we have a lot of information. We can gather it
together. But I just want to >> a year sounds like a long time. It's not that long actually when you start backing up. But I think we owe what I had thought we were going to get out of the long-term building committee um in April or before in February was a
proposal that said we need, you know, $500,000 to do detailed design so that we could go out to bid, right? And and so we didn't get that. We didn't even get a proposal to because because I know we've talked about studies, but you can't ask the voters for a debt
exclusion without some kind of bid. Well, there there were there were plans and and and and scenarios and graphics of of this campus approach which was to take you know to to to to look at the building is upwards of three separate
modules >> and what to do with it. But I but I think that that there was the cost of that you know I think someone muttering you know one scenario had it as as high as uh 70 60 70 million and then the the
do nothing scenario which was to fix things up but was going to cost 20 million. Well any one of those outcomes was going to require a debt exclusion override. And I think that members of the committee uh you know in in there was not a lot of collective unison
unimidity there but all knew that a $20 million business uh uh study or a $20 million project um was not going to move the ball um down the road. You needed something a little bit bolder, something a little
bit more sweeping. Whether the boldness is tempolition and selling the vacant land or whether the whether whether the whether the um uh the um boldness is in making creative use of the property and trying to get a multi-year plan to get get to that stage.
So Chris, when so we talked about um if if if we were to move forward with um tasking you working with two of the select board members um what resources would you need in order to take that on?
>> So you know I think what my approach would be is to collect all the study information to date. I would have a conversation, you know, with our architects and engineering team who have been working on this project with the
long-term building committee and see uh what data we could pull from their various assessments. It was good data, so it didn't go to waste. I want to emphasize that. Um, you know, the other thing that I think just based off the discussion tonight is I think it would
be valuable just um from each of the individual members to reach out to me and share, you know, your thoughts, right? Um because as was mentioned tonight, I think that there are short, medium, and long-term considerations,
you know, and I think it would be valuable to discussion that the board as a whole is voting on what that direction is in the short, medium, and long term, even if there, you know, there may be some disagreements or additional information we have to talk about. Um
the other thing that I think would be helpful to the board is looking at the various considerations depending on what path the board chooses. So you know as an example um regardless of what
ultimately goes into uh a certain portion of the building you know we still need to have a plan in place for the existing operations that are occurring there. So I think regardless of the path we choose, there are certain answers that we're going to need to get.
And so what I would do or my hope is working with the members uh is sit down and come up with that that list those list of things that we um should take into consideration, create a timeline for um you know, similar to what I did
with my goals checklist. kind of come up with what's that action plan and then you know based off that maybe have the board set the timeline for each of those items. So based on what you heard today do do you think it would be helpful do should we task you with going to gather this?
Do you want us to get some representatives for you to work with? like what do you think is a good next step for that could come back and in the next meeting I would like to see whatever we have about the moving the council on aging because I think that's further along and we're ready to do that but >> Sure. Yeah.
>> Um would we want to at our next meeting appoint a couple people to work with you? Do you want us to appoint a do you think it would be helpful if a couple of us were appointed now? Like what do you I know I just threw this at you. >> Yeah. No. um you know, certainly welcome to sit down with a couple board members
um to kind of um bounce it off of if you will and just make sure that we're capturing everything that the board is looking for. You know, I think uh whether that's now or at the next meeting, I'm happy to put something together uh for the board. Um, also I think of note when you were talking
about resources is I know that all the funds weren't fully expended from um the pre uh previous authorization and so coming out of the next meeting um if there are certain things that do have a cost to them you know we might be able
to use this as that funding source for those um those items. I I think that when when we talked about this at the Affordable Housing Trust, the recommendation was to work with RGB and
to see if we could find funds to modify uh their engagement in terms of supplementing it to to uh take a take a include housing as one of those considerations. >> Yeah. And I I'll just make a note of that um because I've not put eyes on the
original proposal that was put forward, you know, but um whether it's RGB or even another firm that comes in and kind of takes all that data, you know, I because it's a different scope entirely. Um it might be worth just a clean
proposal from them on what the new task is, you know, that we're asking of them. So we it might be as an amendment or you know based off of the discussion at the next board meeting we might say yep this is the scope of work we want to move forward with for those items. >> I think an amend well my suggestion
would be an amendment to the contract. The other thing is anything that would include um u consideration of housing opportunities. We have money in our budget for predevelopment costs of of of of projects. Um,
as maybe most of you know, if not all of you, the housing trust has sort of a unique status >> within town government. We are a committee appointed by the select board under the town, but we also have some uh abilities in terms of grants and and and
facilities to develop uh housing and have been pulling together resources over probably the last five years to get serious about another project of of substance. >> So, how about how about I'm just throwing this out here. So, what if we
take what um kind of what Rick was saying, what if between now and our next meeting or, you know, give Chris some time to compile the information, we each communicate with Chris about our proposed end state, like where do we want to see the project going, right? So
if we each independently meet with or send information to Chris about uh what we would like to see the long-term goal is then he could compile that information and bring it back to us and we could understand where we have five different ideas. do we have one we
coalesing around one idea that kind of thing and then um then we we'd have more of a we could vote on okay we want to take this path um and get more information around that one specific path so that way you're not researching every scenario you know but does does
that make sense like in the next three weeks each of us communicate with Chris and then at the June one meeting he kind of comes back with some of the summary and then we kind of vote on a direction is that >> I'd like to work with Chris on that Fable.
>> So let's um so so my thought was not to form like a committee but to each of us talk to Chris and then on the next meeting we could we could talk about we want to form a committee but yeah I would say talk to Chris as much as you want. >> Y >> or as much as he will let you.
>> But is that okay with you all? Is that does that make sense to you Chris? >> Yep. >> All right. Um >> maybe comments >> I know there's public comments. Is there anything on the board before we get the public comment? >> Just one more point and madam chair, I've I've had discussions with many in
the community on an affordable housing component at the high school and I believe that it is something that's doable. I think it's on a smaller scale and when I speak specifically about affordable housing, I believe it should be senior affordable housing. I think
that the uh school system cannot support increased uh affordable housing at that you know of families in that location. Uh I've been told that by uh people that they cannot that the school would not be able to support that. So when I speak of affordable housing I talk about affordable housing of seniors in
Westport that are in 3,000T homes that want to age in place here in Westport and stay in Westport. I think that's the best component that would be there at the high school is an affordable component that would be geared towards seniors or veterans. That's and I've had discussions with many in the community
that are working towards that and want to work towards that and I I think that's a you know possibility. >> Anything from the public? >> David Lima, I'm on the advisory board for the Council on Aging. I have a suggestion. Um
I think over the last year or so we were intellectualizing how we were going to do what we were going to do and the process in which it was going to happen from the perspective of the larger perspective of the entire building and for the immediate perspective of what to
do at the council on aging who need space regardless. We got nothing for a long time. And my suggestion to Chris is this because we just got a report back on on I'll call it regulation 10 versus regulation 9,
which we were operating under regulation 9. Now we're operating under regulation 10, which is the building code for what you can do and what you can't do. However, for a year and a half, we never heard, never saw, never read anything
about regulation 10. But we had a huge long 90page engineering oriented what's wrong with the building. Okay? In in engineering language, not in English, not in what you can do, you can do X,
but you can't do Y. What did we get back when we asked if we could go in that building for a particular space? We did a review visav a regulation. I'll call it regulation 10. And we got a report back. And interestingly enough, we had ended up with two concepts. We ended up
with occupancy and we ended up with use. And in the report it said, "Oh, by the way, you can go there and have classes there, okay, under regulation 10, but if there's over 39 people, you're going to have to put sprinklers in." And so the
revelation came to me that we had all this conversation for a long time. I had conversations pre pre when you had a I even had housing way before um way way before five years ago. I I proposed we
do the same thing at Nokach. we do at the high school. Nobody wanted to hear about anything like that. I proposed it in housing two years ago in the article that I wrote in the proposal for the campus. Nobody wanted to hear about that. My suggestion is this.
I would take the 90page report and I would take the regulation 10 because it's happening to us right now as we speak. What do we have to do with the use and the occupancy to get in that building for us? And I would say take
your 90page report, somebody translate it into English, okay? And you have your conversations about uses, municipal use, uh, educational use, culinary use, all the uses. Bang them up against regulation
10. And so, you know, if I'm going to have classes in there, if I have more than 39 people, which we found out now, if you have more than 39 people, I have to put a sprinkler system in. Well, how come I didn't know that before? How come I didn't know that a year ago? How come you didn't know that when you were
trying to figure out intellectually A, B, C, D, E, or F? We need uh this is the lawyer in me saying, "Let's talk English here. Don't talk engineering. Don't talk architectural." At some point you have to convert it to what are the uses you want to use and what is it going to cost
in an occupancy and and a use perspective. Can I do that? Is it relevant? Is it is it affordable? I don't know if housing is affordable or not in that building. I have no idea. No one's translated anything in this
process. And we I find personally it's a little annoying after a year or two years someone finally says to us, "Oh yeah, you can go in there, but by the way, if you get over 39, you're going to have to put sprinklers in." Didn't anybody know that before?
That's my point. And I think if you're going to do considerations for use of that building and occupancy, I would just come up with ideas about, well, how about how about if we do culinary classes? Let's take regulation 10, bang it up against that. It's going to cost
you $20 million to do that. Have numbers related to ideas here. Otherwise, this conversation is circular, which is what we've been doing. Personally, I've been involved with it. My wife wonders why I spend all this time, why I have this
gray hair. Why? Because we're just going around in a circle. We We need I I agree with we we need clarity. And we didn't get it until Regulation 10. We knew about Regulation 10. A long time ago, we
didn't talk about it. You didn't talk about it until we pushed you to let us go in the building and finally you said, "Oh, by the way, regulation 10, what does it say?" What it said was, "Well, yeah, yeah, yeah. If you want to
do specifically, what do you want to do?" And and and here are the caveats to it. Well, I think any decision you're going to make, you should know that if it's housing, if it's culinary, if it's if it's whatever use you want to use, I mean, I don't know right now if the
school department wanted to use that building, how would it measure up against regulation 10? Are they grandfathered? I don't know. I mean, we don't have answers to these questions. So, it's going to be very hard for Chris and you guys to move forward. I mean,
gratefully, hopefully, we can get in the building because if you don't let us in that building, we don't have anywhere to go. We don't have anywhere to go. And I agree with Jake that you you should be if you're going to take that building and use it for something else, you're going to have to figure out what to do
with with after school program, you're going to have to figure out the administrative offices. You're going to have to figure out what to do with council on aging brimming with services that we need. We don't have any space. You have a complex issue and I agree. I
agree that the long-term building committee was given sort of the wrong message because maybe housing should have been part of the consideration. Why wasn't it? >> Well, I I wasn't on the board at the time. >> Well, I understand that, but just I'm
I'm rhetorical question, but this >> we tked the long-term building committee. We absolutely tasked the long-term building committee with putting together a plan for putting the municipal services, as many as could fit into that building. They did not
>> come back with a recommendation. We asked them to talk about the comparative costs of repairs from the other locations. We asked them to look at the impact on the other uh places. They did not do it. So, we put our faith in a committee incorrectly. We put our faith
in a committee that did not deliver. So, we need to make sure that we have a clear objective for what we do next. >> And I'm and I'm I agree with that. And I'm just suggesting I'm just suggesting what I learned, what we learned, what the council learned
from this experiment of getting into the building and and having this regulation 10 which was inexistent. I can't tell you the start date of it, but it was I don't know a year ago, a year and a half ago. None of us knew about it. It might
have been easier to make decisions if we knew. I mean, we had this 90page report of everything wrong with the building, but we didn't have anything over here that said, "Oh, by the way, if you want to get in there now, you could get these
people in here, but if you want to do educational things, don't have over 39 people. You got to get a sprinkler system. If you want to have a kitchen, I mean, there would be it'd be easier to understand what I could do next if I knew what the parameters were when I started. That
that's it. >> Sorry I took so long. >> So, may I ask you a question, Dave? >> Did you have did you guys want to say something? >> Yeah. Do you guys have a timeline for moving in there if >> when
>> if it's under 39 people, above 39 people? >> Go I'm saying, did you guys get to that point in it? >> Hi. Um, I'm Eileen Monre. I'm the chair of council on aging. Um, if we were told tomorrow, we could move in by the end of
the month. Uh, we have um soft plans, but we do have money committed to help us do this by the friends. There is also a grant for uh I believe it's $200,000 that we should be hearing from the state
uh I believe by the end of the month. So council on aging could have a commitment of close to $300,000 and of that we know that we would have to have a door that a door system that would open for handicap accessibility.
Um, basically we're talking um about >> Yeah, you're not talking directly enough. >> Can you hear me? >> I we can hear you, but other people can. >> All right. You can't hear me? Okay. Um, I can be heard. Um, we we have uh talked around and around
about this. Tonight is perhaps the most creative um uh discussion I think I have heard in two years on how and what should happen. I'll also remind u the select board members that we're the
probably the only um committee commission organization that has actually done a strategic plan. We asked people, "What do you want?" Anybody who was over the age of 60 at the time, uh,
was who was a registered voter in town was asked and we got some pretty good feedback. And, um, if you don't have a a uh 22page copy of our uh, strategic
plan, I can get that to you very easily. But basically we were charged with creating new programs, keeping the programs that we have and allowing people in. We were charged with keeping
up with what is the current what are the current issues for aging. People want to age in place. They want to stay here in Westport. It's as simple as that. And um we have the documentation. We heard
people. We we and this is why we have been perhaps a little more proactive in the last two years than um our previous um council on aging boards have been. We we um are charged with listening to the
people in town what they want and and and translating that to uh the director. and we listen to the director and find out what we can afford, what we cannot afford um in in our resources. Um
I think that I I would remind you that a good deal or most of the staff is volunteer staff. If you come to the Council on Aging tomorrow, we have two receptionists there. Both of them are volunteers. We so if it's a matter of
staffing, we've already talked about the idea that we we have volunteers. We have other people that would be very willing to volunteer to be a receptionist if we were able to use um another space for the exercises, for example. Um I'm a
volunteer instructor. Um, we set up the room. We cleaned out a room ourselves, tidied it, set up the furniture, set up the computers, set up the TV with our own resources. Um, you
know, we have a TV hanging on the wall and and we got volunteers to help us. So, um, long and short of it is that just let me know tomorrow and we'll we'll be uh we could make things happen. So, I I think
the short version of the answer is they can be in there pretty quickly. You bet. >> I think from my perspective, and I've said this before at more than one meeting, I want a lawyer, a code compliance officer, and an insurance agent to tell me that it's okay to move
those those services into that. >> That's right. We've got the code compliance report that we're coming in. I want to make sure we're properly insured for whatever use we have, and I just want legal to bless it. And I'm fine. I believe we do have the documentation from the insurance because
we're basically doing the same issues uh the same >> classes, programs, activities that we would be doing and it is a town we're doing it on another town property. I do believe that that document exists. I don't have it tonight but I could
probably get it for you in the next >> certainly before you move in. >> Yeah, before we move in way before. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. Thank you, sir. >> Cliff Cliff Reed, uh, this boggles my
mind. I went to the first meeting and I heard a set of rules set out what they were going what they were charged to do. Okay. They wait more than a year, go to a second meeting, and none of those
rules were followed. what they brought forward was totally different from what they said they were going to look at, which is which is why you're sitting here in this position today. You don't have
any code requirements to bring this building up to code. Should have been the first thing this study did. What does it take to bring this up to mass code? >> I we had we had that. >> I've seen them. They're they're so wrong it's ridiculous. We we had it we had a report from code complaint
>> bad. >> Um but it's you're heading in a direction it's going to take you in a circle until you get what it's going to take to make this building usable for all activities.
And as soon as you start moving different things in you might have a problem with the activities you already have in the building. I believe we do in fact have a problem with the activities they already have in the building. >> So you're putting yourself you say lawyer and insurance you should be
getting th that information today not when they move in which I hope they move in tomorrow but I but as soon as possible. But I think your whole purpose of what you're doing isn't is the cop before the horse. What I want to put in
the building isn't what you would need. What can I put in the building after I do A, B, C, and D? >> And Chris, good luck. >> Thank you, >> Nathan. All in 192 Drift Road. Um, I
have sort of a higher level question, which is all the talk about the high school. Is there a strategy that spans all the town buildings where you guys decide um what is the overall plan for how municipal workers are accounted for, how council on aging is accounted for,
and then how that is divided up amongst the buildings because it seems like we already have a space problem anyway. And if the high school is demolished or sold for private sale, all of that space is lost, right? And so there should be some higher level plan. I think
>> the plan >> similar to what Rick or uh uh Mr. Money would say >> the plan did evaluation of the other sites in the other buildings in town. >> So, >> okay. So, this is incorporated into that. >> Well, yes, >> there was a very high level there was a
very high level uh estimation of some of the repairs that would be needed to the other buildings. Yeah. >> Not not even from the cost perspective, but more what like the long term that we're talking short, medium, long. What is the long-term perspective? this the strategy for how not only the high school is used but also this building
the the uh the the annex the council on >> that was part of the that was part of >> that was part of the charge to the long-term building committee that did not result in a recommended action I can say that in 2018 I was on a high school reuse committee I chaired that committee
at the time >> and because that was when we were looking at approval for the new middle high school and we had a plan at the time now this is eight years ago. We had a plan for where to move the administrative offices and where to house the afterchool and before school
programs and so we had a plan for that in 2018. people didn't like it and you know and I was in the minority and so it didn't go anywhere but um no we had a plan back then but I think needs have changed right so I think I think we I
think we absolutely need to look at the t entirety of the municipal offices and the buildings and what costs like the highway department building over here is terrible >> but it should it should also be noted that from the time that we started on the construction of a new middle high
school to the time we ended There was some vast changes made to that design and its activities that could be conducted. >> Yeah, that's true. >> This eight years ago was a long time. Yeah. >> Gay Gillespie. And I'm not sure quite
where to begin having followed this many years and written letters to the editors and making recommendations. But I currently sit on the Friends board and work closely with Bev up there. and I'm also on the affordable housing trust.
And from the friend's perspective, I love this idea of being able to move up there because I myself have been on a waiting list for about a year and a half to get into one of the classes because there just isn't any room. And um and the building, all these buildings are older than the current high school
building, which is kind of an interesting thing to think about. We keep pouring a lot of money into all the new um AC, what are they called? um splits and things like that $1 million >> into a building, you know, and the high school, you know, is sitting up there as
a newer building and with a lot more space. But I think my main point right now is that as a member of the for affordable housing trust, one of the disappointments in the long-term building plan committee was that they
did not include housing and the part of the building up there, the facility was to be demolished. And it just to it it just to me seems um not mindful of what could be happening there if we could go
back and look at that. And I'm not sure if you could remind me how much money do we approve at town meeting for the architect for that project. Do you remember? >> 200,000. >> You're I think it was 200 >> 220,000.
>> Might have been 250,000. Wouldn't it be sensible for us to go back to them who have all that information about the building and ask them to just could you look at this and amend our contract and include a housing component? Give them also all this information that we're
getting from the COA. What was what was it chapter 10? >> Is that whatever it is? put all that in there for them so that they've got a clear mission and they could talk to the people who are here tonight talking about this to get something happening because we can't afford not to do
anything. And I just have to put another thought out there. If we keep the facility and we keep the playing fields, we could possibly put some affordable housing over at the campground property,
which would be an ideal site with walkable to school library community. Just thinking outside the box, just putting it out there. Um, as an opportunity down the road if we are able to hold on to the high school facility,
the old high school Thank you. >> Okay. So, are we clear on what we want next? Next step. Next step, we're we are all going to communicate with you. You're going to collate the information. Yep. >> Come up with a do we have some sort of
consensus or do we need to vote on a direction to go >> and then we'll figure out from our committee how we want to move forward with that. So if you have recommendations for uh how we form the group that's going to
work on this um talk with Chris there any >> I think if he if he can pull the board we can talk about it maybe he can use his uh so we uh ability to talk with all of us without us >> without us talking with each other
>> with each other and and and and and running you know sketchily close to the open meeting law. Um so uh I think that would be the best way to do it and um and I think that um and I would suggest if you probably if you haven't had a
chance to uh after this discussion to take another look at that that report and from given all the perspectives that have been shared about what the expectations for it were uh to see how much you you in your professional opinion how much
the report conformed to the expectations in charge and how much It may have fallen short of that because we all have our opinions about it, but it would be good with a fresh set of eyes, Chris, to have you do that as well. >> Sure. >> Okay. Anything else on that topic? Any questions? >> I hate to name drop, but I talked to Don
Davidson last Friday about the old high school. And a good point that he had was if we get to a point where we say divestment's off the table, we want to do something else. I think we need to stop calling it the old high school. We just need >> it needs to be called something else to just get the mindset away from there
that this is a valuable town building that we wish to keep and we wish to use productive use from. >> Good. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Could be a community center >> or a municipal building. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, let's move on. I know we played we played multiple agenda here.
So, let's talk about the um the committee appointments. to review the activity of select board committed appointed committees and vote to dissolve or consider amending the kid committee changes. So, um there was in
your packet a spreadsheet. There's 38 um committees on here. Um the town administrator has made some um some potential com uh recommendations for us to uh possibly dissolve or maintain or maybe
update the charge. Um so we can do that tonight or we can just talk about it tonight and then list any specific ones um for another meeting depending on how you want to go. But I know when I looked at it earlier today um he had a potential to dissolve the um audit
committee and um but wasn't in there correctly. He said it was a policy and it was actually a bylaw. So, um, that was changed. I know earlier today, but, um, so the ones, if I'm reading this correctly, so the ones that are not
the ones that are not colored coded, um, you're recommending that we keep the committee, but on some of them, you've got maybe update the charge. Is that how you're how I'm reading this? >> Yes, that's correct. So, the ones that have the U, you know, in the right hand
column. So, uh, a lot of those committees were created by policy through the select board. Uh, and my recommendation for all the committees, even if they're doing exactly, you know, what the board entails or is, uh, has set out for them is just have a document
that outlines that. Yeah. >> So, we were talking about, um, before the, um, before this meeting, Chris and I were talking about this idea about coming up with a policy in general for how our committees should work. So things like how often do we want the
committees to report to us? Um how many absences will be continue would be uh if should we uh remove people from committees if they have excessive absences? Um apparently we already had a policy to remove >> we have a policy. It's three
>> it's three. Um so but what um Chris and I were talking about is putting together the the policies the our policies for direction to our committees um before people start getting renewal on their committee so that they are picking up this new policy. So we'll have a draft
of that for next meeting. Right. >> Yes. >> So then for the purpose of this conversation today I think the ones that are all white where we're saying keep the committee. We think that there's reason we got to keep the committee. Um, but maybe we have to update their charge. Um, maybe that can be just part
of the hey committee, one of the things we want you to do in the next few months is to come back with what you think your charge is and what should the charge be and that kind of thing. But um, what I wanted to talk about tonight was if there's any that we should um, dissolve um, before we start getting like
appointment commit, you know, before we start getting reappointments and things like that happening. So, from the ones who are considering dissolving, I think some of them just haven't met in a long time. So, the ADA transition plan committee, um, anybody on that
committee? >> I used to be. >> I am on. Have you ever met? Do you know what you do? >> There's a story here, Madam Chair, and I would say this. No, it hasn't met. I've been on it for nine years, and I have yet to be invited to a meeting.
>> You're on it, too, Sean. No, I don't think it's on in the next spreadsheet. You're on it. >> Well, I don't think it's met since I was on it. >> Yeah, it was it was we were looking at um the the the Citizens with Disabilities Act and we had a consultant go through and look at the handicapped
accessibility of all the buildings in town and we had a committee appointed to uh oversee that. I I was actually surprised to see that we still had an ADA transition committee. >> Yeah. So I think I think really my my opinion on that is if something came up related to ADA, we could have referred
that to Commission on Disabilities. We already have that that's an act. >> Madam Chair, here's here's the thing. I >> I'm conversing with this. Okay, just listen. >> We don't need the ADA transition committee anymore for a couple of reasons. One is its work has been
subsumed by SERPED which is the setting up of the transition plan of 2010 in its subsequent five-year renewals. What's remaining for us to do, us being the town, can easily be taken over by
the com commission on disability. >> Yeah. And what I'm going to propose here is that the next meeting I'll bring this up since I'm a member of that committee and then I think that committee will probably agree to do that. I've already had some conversations with uh a
minority of people on that committee. Um and but it has no purpose anymore. It what it what it does is still important but it doesn't have to be done by this committee between SERPED and the committee on disability. that's where that work can be done.
>> So my my so I was of two minds with this so I'm really interested in what you guys think. So my first thought was if we're making a if we think we should dissolve the committee I think we should do that at a future meeting where we have a specific agenda item that says
consider dissol dissolution whatever the whatever the word is consider dissolving this committee. So that way we have a specific ag specifically on the agenda but we could also just vote to dissolve them today. Right. So >> the only thing I would say on that is if we don't even know when the last time
they met was maybe it's just easier to dissolve them tonight. You know what I'm saying? Like I mean there are some that right Chris or Ka couldn't even come up with when they last met. So it's not like anyone's probably going to be offended if they don't exist anymore. >> Yeah. I'm fine either way. I'm with making a decision today or but I was
thinking it might be more appropriate to specifically list it because on our agenda item Yeah. it just says consider uh vote to dissolve. Well, it says vote dissolve, so we certainly could dissolve tonight. >> I mean, I think we do is that the layers on look at the committees that they're on and see if they haven't met since you
were appointed is to say um we could actually vote to dissolve it because no one if you if you if you weren't invited. >> I didn't know I was on there. >> If what I'm just going on the spreadsheet, I didn't want to get you in trouble. But my my only question is like the um school regulation board says it's
it's a bylaw that was established like we can we dissolve a committee that's >> No, we can't. >> So that might we can't dissolve it directly in this meeting. So maybe we should tackle them one at a time. So for the ADA transition plan committee, do we want to dissolve it or do we want to put
it on an agenda for a future item to >> I make a motion to dissolve the ADA transition plan committee. >> Okay. and any any any residual functions will be transferred to the commission on disabilities. >> Okay. So, we have a motion in a second. And do we want to talk about that anymore? >> I do. >> Go ahead. I think that's ill advised for
the reasons I just stated that first of all we have a commission on disability which has all the authorities that relate to disability in the town other than to the town administrator and they will probably take it over willingly and it's an insult to their
leadership and to the whole committee to do this without consulting with them first. I agree. So, I will I will vote against this. And I think it's a it's a bad idea. And there's no hurry on this. There's zero hurry on this. This has been going on for years. And we're going
to have a meeting on Monday, but it's not on the agenda. So, we got to go to the next meeting in June, and they will make a decision, and we'll make a recommendation to the select board, which I I will bet my money on, will be to dissolve it and subsume those functions into the committee on
disability. But to do it without discussing it with them, I think is is is a travesty. >> My only question to that, Dick, then if it's a committee that has no functions, never meets, and the members don't even know they're on the committee, is it an insult to um the other committee that would absorb it if it's not even a real
committee? >> No, because if I may, Madam Chair. >> Yep. Go ahead. >> It's not that they haven't had a function. The function has morphed over time. the function they have is is the the plan the 2010
uh disability plan and in which was updated updated as recently as as last year. So that function exists today and always existed and members of the dis the commission on disability had worked
on it with SERPED without summoning the ADA transition committee to get together. So that it has a purpose and the we have to make sure the purpose is still fortified because we we have every in 2030 we're going to have to revamp
this transition uh plan again. Can I withdraw my motion? >> You can withdraw my motion. >> And I agree. And then to Dick's point then for everyone that we recommend, let's just make sure that they're aware of it and put on the next agenda. Just list them all and then it's publicly
disclosed. They're not thinking that they're getting blindsided by it. So we'll go through all the well up to you, Madam Chair, but we go through all these and and on the next meeting we say >> dissolution of these six committees. Yeah. And then if anyone if we hear any feedback I mean I'm not entirely sure
I'd actively go look for it but if we don't if we don't get any feedback we'd vote and dissolve them at the next meeting. >> I think that we basically read them and if no one says anything negative >> y >> we just keep on moving and then if somebody says something negative we do it we do it down meetings we'll put a
hold on it >> and then and then have a discussion maybe at the next meeting about the ones we had hold on. So, so in this case though for specifically for the ADA transition plan, I think um what I just heard Dick say is he needs beyond June 1. So whatever the meeting is after June
one the June 19 after June one June 15. Yeah, probably June 15th. >> So um is June 15 meeting for that one long enough for you to meet? >> Uh >> I want to make sure you have I think you have a fair point about you know at least telling on disability. Yeah, I
have to go and look at we have a meeting next week and it's about a month later. So, I think I think that works. I think that works. >> Okay. >> Not for June 1, but the subsequent meeting >> to to go back to Dick's point, wouldn't it might it make sense then as opposed to dissolving these committees to flow
them into a current committee for all of them? >> Well, some of them do and some of them don't. I think like my the internet advisory committee doesn't need to go anywhere. It can just dissolve, right? So let's I think we do need to address them one by one. So June 22nd is the
meeting. Does that give you sufficient time? >> All right. So let's put the dissolution of the ADA transition plan on the June 22nd agenda. >> Okay. >> Okay. So then the next one on I got to
get back here. The next one on the list, somebody help me out. What was the next one? >> Agricultural and open space preservation trust fund. >> Yeah. So I thought that one met but so the a open space there is an agricultural commission which meets regularly. So can you just remind us
what the a open space committee is? >> So this is something I had a conversation with uh our treasurer on. Uh so supposedly this was a separate board that administered these trust funds. My understanding from her is a couple years ago those funds were turned
back because it was a minimal dollar amount that they were administering and that was an action taken at town meeting. So at this point um there's no from what I can find structure. There's no recent meeting dates for this. Um but
it's still something that we're tracking in our database. So it would just be >> um you know something we would just I guess formally just close out from our side. >> All right. So let's put that one on either the June 1 or the June 22nd meeting to dissolve that one. The audit
committee. I feel very strongly that we need to keep the audit committee. Yes. >> Um but I know Dick, you're on the audit committee. >> Well, there's a bylaw here. >> There is. Yeah. >> And there are five functions. We didn't have an audit committee at one time and
and I believe it was Karen Rouse who uh put the bylaw together and it these functions are important and already the audit committee had been dealing if you recall we had difficulties in the treasurer's office. >> Yeah. >> And at that time the audit committee was
meeting every week. >> Yeah. But these are important functions that if we did away with the committee uh we this board of selectment would have to do this which is which is possible but I I don't know if you want to spend that time.
>> Yeah, we would have to amend the bylaws to do that and I still I actually feel very strongly that we should keep the audit committee. >> And for the record in 24 we met four times. In 25 we met three times. In 26 we've already met twice and we anticipate we'll meet at least two more
times. That's all you need to do. But I like I said earlier there was a time when we were meeting every week for for a period of time and then it ended. We probably had 12 or to 15 meetings that year. >> Madam Chair, just a quick question on
that. Why was that highlighted in the first place? I mean if we had >> I think um I think the town administrator didn't understand that. Well, so so one, the function of the so town administrator didn't understand there was a bylaw for it. And two, the
financial departments in town already are doing that, right? They already So the town accountant and the treasurer collector >> um are already kind of doing that. It's their job to to to be working with the auditors and bring auditors in. But we we passed that in a bylaw specifically
because the treasurer was not doing that and we wanted to make sure there was >> ensured oversight over the future audits. Um so I don't unless anybody's objected I don't want to put that resolution of that one. >> No. >> Um the energy committee. So they met in
2022. >> I don't anybody know much about the energy committee? I think >> I don't. >> Didn't Were you on >> I was on it for a while. >> Yeah. Well, we were looking at alternative energy and making sure I think when we got to the green communities designation, I think the
work was largely done. >> Okay. All right. So, let's put dissolving that one on June 1 or June 22. The internet advisory board, I have chaired that committee. We haven't met in years. I don't think it's necessary anymore. Um, that was looking at a
proposal for municipal fiber. um but the um funding sources that we thought might be available to fund that just didn't materialize and so I don't think there's any point in contin >> um the long-term planning town building
evaluation committee I think we should dissolve and we'll structure that in a different way that might be a committee but I think we just need to reform it completely so let's vote on that at a future meeting >> the um offshore wind committee. I know that people recently I know I have said
that we should dissolve the committee. I've changed my mind. Um I think there is still a role for that, but I do think that we need to recharge the committee. Um but the committee, the ashore wind committee voted last week to continue um
>> uh twice a year meetings and then as needed. So I and specifically what swayed me um was the um emergency response as something happens. Um so you'll recall one of the things that initiated the offshore rent in the first
place was the turbine failure the sort of washing up on the beach and we didn't get who was responsible for it and how you're going to engage the committee the companies and things like that. I still think that kind of emergency response is necessary. Um, so I don't personally want,
>> especially since the two companies are pointing fingers at each other. >> Yeah. And the the other thing that kind of drove it was there was a potential landing site listed as Westport, but the the the group that had they're they're permitting for New London. So there it's
not really but if certainly if there was a potential if it came real again that there was a landing site in Westport then I think offshore wind would need to be engaged >> and and that is listed till for a 5year policy so that's till 2029 anyway
>> 2029 was the charge. Yeah. Um the public safety staffing committee >> well I'm the chair of that and we haven't met in a long time. Uh, I attempted to abolish it earlier and I failed. Um,
>> we can't just delegate it to the new >> Dick. What committees aren't you on? >> But I'll make this I'll make this simple for the select board here. I didn't mean to interrupt. >> Um, I will speak with the police chief and the fire chief and query them and that they were not in favor of
abolishing the committee four years ago or five years ago, but I think they probably have changed on this. >> We've changed we've changed. be changed. >> So, I think uh we've been getting along well without it. >> Let me just do that courtesy and I'll report back, but I'm sure it'll be taken
care of. >> Okay. Um the safety regulation board. So, you said that's a bylaw. >> So, it's a bylaw. Um it's a group um I believe there's one board member uh fence viewer and the uh >> I am on the safety regulation board, but
>> ah there we go. Okay. So, >> how about safety regulations? So, uh, this is within the bylaw, so this is not something that we could act on, but, uh, it might be worth the board looking at this, um, >> for future for town meeting next year >> for for town meeting next year.
>> Okay. >> Okay. The short-term rental committee. So, that was formed when we were trying to come up with the policy and so the town the the town meeting did pass the policy, but we have not created the policies yet, right? Um,
>> were you on that? >> No, I was not. No. >> Is this one for like um accessory dwelling units? Yeah. >> No, it was the Airbnb the short-term rental. Um, >> but that Oh, yeah. >> But the the outcome of the town meeting was to task the select board with permitting short-term rentals, which we
have not yet put in place. >> We we need to we need to keep the committee. >> Yeah. >> That reason. >> Well, here's my concern with this. Why we need to keep it is they just changed the tax code that they allow 100% depreciation recapture in your first year on a short-term rental. So there's a lot of people making short-term
rentals just willy-nilly to get the depreciation. >> Yeah. So I think I think that one might still have a role in that we we still need to craft the policy. >> So on that one um because we are going to be sending out the renewal notices uh
for this upcoming year. So uh if that is a policy that we create along with the workflow um we can certainly get this committee's feedback on that proposed process and regulations and then um again if it serves a purpose next year
if we want to revisit this we can certainly do that. >> Okay. >> And then the tax incentive program committee >> I have no documentation on this. Um, >> I think we had one tip for Mid City Steel. I don't even think we've had any
others since then. Um, yeah, that one we can probably vote to dissolve. Were there any of here that the town administrator didn't recommend dissolving that you think we should consider dissolving? >> Uh, so, you know, I did my best again
just going through the select board appointed committees. Um, you know, again, identifying ones that were created under policy, you know, at the really at the pleasure of the board. If these committees are serving a purpose and a value, you know, my goal is to make sure that, um, you know, I'm
doing the best that I can working with them. So, the ones that I highlighted again um, were ones that either haven't met or, um, you know, as mentioned earlier, there was another committee could step in and do potentially do the function. um you know and really the
only other one was the audit committee and again obviously there was a reason that it was established and the bylaw was created um which is understandable but um again it was just the feedback and whether or not the board wanted to revisit it now that um
you know there's uh um >> okay >> of staff in place. >> So we'll vote specifically on those items in the next couple of meetings. I do think that everyone who's on a committee um should kind of go look at I think we should ask them to kind of re-evaluate the charge. Do they know
what we're asking them to do? And then we can evaluate that at future meetings um what we want them to do. Okay. Anything else on that one? All right. So then we have the liaison assignments. So this is where we learned
that we're on committees we didn't know we were on. Um, >> you're getting rid of a couple that I'm already on. So, that's great. >> Oh, we're shortening. We're lightening your load, are we, Jake? I like how you're You have two different names in here. You're >> I know it's my I'm bipolar depending on which one I'm going to.
>> So, um, so I guess my first stop would be uh, do we have any that do not have a select board member? Because Mr. Soros was on some. >> I think that's the ones that I >> He's got a lot of free time though. >> I >> Well, he's no longer a select board member. So,
>> I think I took those over. Madam Chair, just I just want to point something out to either Chris or Carla. Um, the appointments that you have here like the climate resiliency committee, I sit on that committee as a member of the conservation commission, not as a select board member. Um, same thing with
respect to um, let me just see offshore wind committee. I'm on that as the conservation appointee, not the select board. And then obviously conservation commission I'm on there as an appointment not as a select board
member. So those can either get removed. >> Yeah. When we pulled this report from the database it uh >> didn't parse out that way but >> and that's fine. >> I'm just highlighting that here >> and that's that was the only changes I saw for myself. Thank you.
>> But the infra so the infrastructure because Mr. Soros was on the infrastructure over committee but then we replaced him. So, I think I was appointed to the Manny's role was he he sat on the economic development task force, the infrastructure oversight committee, and the safety regulation
board. And I think I took all three of those seats. >> Um, and outside of that, the TA search committee, obviously, >> uh, unless Chris makes a decision here in the near future, we probably don't need that right now. >> All right. So then I guess the question is are there any that anybody
particularly doesn't want would like to switch off of or any that anybody would particularly like to take on. Um I would like to stay on school building committee because I we have to end that
project at some point soon. Um but I'm actually okay the and the internet advisory board we we we're going to dissolve but um climate resilience committee. So climate resilience there's about to have a report done. I think I should stay on
that. I would like to stay on I would like to stay on the climate resilience and the school building committee. Um but any of the others like Rick if you wanted to be or Dick if you want to take something I'm fine with or I can stay on them. They're fine. >> Take ADA transition. the one we're going
to dissolve. >> Dick, are there any You're on a lot. >> Yeah, let me tell you what I want to do here. And uh first of all, we have have to clarify a couple of things on this list. For example, the Commission on Disability. I'm on that unrelated to the
select board needing somebody on that. I did that on my own and you approved it. But you didn't require you don't require a select board member on the commission on disability. I just point that out. That one stands along. >> There's no there's no dedicated position for a select board. >> That's right. Okay.
>> So, I'm just there on my own wishes. The MBA MBTA's growth management task force. >> You got me there because I haven't been to one of those meetings. I don't know what it is. So, I don't You might want
to double check that. I have I have no problem staying on it. Obviously, >> I I I don't even think we're considered an MBTA. >> No, we're not. I didn't think so. So, I we're borderline. We get invited to the meetings, >> but we're not part of the because we don't have >> correct
>> real service >> in in Westport. >> Yeah, I think this is not necessary. the open space and recreation, if I may move on, madam chair. Y that's the committee we're working on now to revise u a number of things. Actually, it's the
open space and recreation report of 2015. I was appointed to that and we'll we'll finish our work at some point in time this year and it will probably be dissolved anyway. Uh and it's a good committee to be on. Um public safety railroad commissioner really is just
title. I don't know what you want to do with that. probably the town of Westport shouldn't retain that title anymore. It has no function. All of those railroad commissioner tasks, whatever they were, have been taken over by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, >> but it's kind of a cute little
>> We do have We do have railroad in Westport, though. >> Yeah, we do. >> But I mean, you could just leave it anyway. Um, >> did you get a hat? Did you ever get a hat? >> I would love to. >> You're a pirate. >> Yes.
Okay, the next one is CERTA. That's that I I can stay on that. That only nobody else is going to be able to go to those meetings. It's on a Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock. You have to be retired to do this. So, I I I will stay on that. And then I just you just recently put me
on Ser Peds' board of directors. So, that's okay. And and these some of these don't require a lot of work, but however, I am leazison, a different kind of leazison to council on aging and the landing commission. I enjoy both of those, but if somebody else is
interested in doing that and maybe it's good for the COA to have somebody else or maybe the landing commission, but that's not an appointment. It's it's the role of leazison, which is a a unique role that I've asked Chris what he thinks I should be really doing. Uh, and
then lastly, this has nothing to do with any committee, but the signing of the warrants every uh two weeks, at some point, we ought to change that. I'm not lobbying hard for that because I can fit it into my schedule. But I think two things here. One is uh I wouldn't mind
being the the backup and or we should probably change our regulation. I think it's just a regulation of the board of selectmen to where everybody can be a backup. So, if if I'm not there that day and the backup isn't there, and we had that happen once
to us, if you recall, and one other select board member signed uh the warrants, but I think technically that was a violation because the authority was specific to the two people. So, if we if everybody's a backup, then that we'll never have a problem there again.
And it's very seldom you get called on. >> We used to have we used to sign the war. We used to all have to sign >> sign, but but we did but we didn't have to they didn't need all of our signatures. If we got to three, we were good to go. >> Right. >> But but it did allow every select board
member if they wanted to a chance to review the warrants. And um >> Right. So now we have the warrant. You can review the warrants because they're in the packet, but this way only one person had to go to town hall. So, >> that's why but but I'm hearing you say
you like to >> Well, somebody else. >> Yeah, if somebody else is so inclined, but I'll stay with with the project, but I think it's a good idea separate from that to have everybody be a backup if needed be. I think I agree. >> All right. So, let's put
>> in some other meeting we can do that. >> Let's put the um authorization for signing of the bill warrant on like June 1 or June 22. Um, Craig, I know you're really keen on the
affordable housing trust. Are there any that and opioid? I think you've been very close to those. >> Yeah. So I guess Rick, so from so for the ones that I'm on that you could join if you wanted or that I would be perfectly willing to give up
the we had the bike walking path committee, the um offshore wind committee and sick sick leave bank is really not a thing, but if you want one of those
as a guy with two jobs and four kids almost. I'm going to um take whatever committee is the uh I could do the most due diligence on. So, probably irregular meetings. I don't know. Assign me one. >> I could do the offshore wind.
>> I don't mind being on the offshore end. I'm just willing to give it up if somebody else wants it. >> Okay. >> So, all right. So, um >> I'm willing to pull my weight as long as >> Let's have Rick on the sick leave bank committee. There's hardly anything involved with that. And then um
the because that was me. >> And then >> we have the TA search committee. We don't need that anymore. >> Yeah. >> That was from last year. >> Yeah. >> So these are leazison appointments, >> I think. >> Oh, so >> Jake and I were on that committee. >> Yeah.
>> We we did a great job and we're we're here. >> All right. Well, everybody consider consider your so Rick is so I entertain a motion to appoint Rick as the select board representative to the sickly bank committee. >> Motion to second.
>> All in favor? >> I >> I All right. So Rick is now on the sick bank committee. If there's any that you want to shift to Rick or Rick, if there's any that you want to talk to people about taking instead, we can change our minds later. >> I love RA commissioner. Give that one up.
>> That's the one you got to go for. Do are you willing to give it up or >> probably get a little hat in the back? >> It's a pilot. >> I'm willing to give it up. >> All right. So, I will entertain a motion to appoint Rick Monday Railroad Commissioner. >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> I That's unanimous. >> Did you also know that we are police
commissioners and water commissioners? >> Really? >> Yes. >> And cemetery commissioners. >> Oh, >> I know about the cemetery. >> Bristol Bristol County. Uh >> you're you're now 20% of the police. >> Yeah, I'm still >> So, it's like a left leg. >> Okay. It's once a year. >> All right. So, anybody wants to change anything or reconsider, we'll we can
take it up another. >> Yeah, I think with the dissolution of committees, I think I'm down to three. So, I should be fine. >> Yeah. And I think some like climate resilience should be wrapping up and the school building committee, please should be wrapping up. So, those are I'd like to see those to the end.
>> All right. Um, town administrator 90day update. So, we we we passed on this the last time because we were getting late in the day, but maybe We've now had a month to look at his 90-day
um 90-day plans. So, Chris, you want to give us some of the highlights? >> I will certainly give the highlights and I'm also watching the clock. Um so, yes, I had prepared this for the last meeting. Um within your packets you
have um I would say my final deliverable from my initial 90-day plan which is um my key observations during the transition period. um I reflect on my role in the 90 days and um really the I
guess the biggest item in here is um you know the list of proposed actions for consideration to help uh the select board with its goal setting discussion for FY 2027 and beyond. Um so just kind of going over next slide. Um my first 90
days uh a lot happened. I met with the select board individually prior to starting uh as well as the full board. Uh I met with each department head as well as individual staff members throughout town hall and its buildings. Uh we successfully passed the FY2027
budget at town meeting. Um and as you mentioned earlier in the meeting, uh all the warrants that were put forward passed. Um we manage or I help manage the Blizzard of 2026 response uh and we've started the work of uh increasing
our outreach efforts um online and through our website. So, um, some themes and priorities you see within the report, um, there's six areas that I chose to focus in on. And within those areas, um, you know, I
have, uh, some initial priorities that I had put forward for consideration. Um, so when you look at the report, some of these items are near-term things that we've even talked about tonight's meeting, as well as some longer term initiatives. And you know, as I said before, this is
intended to support the board's discussion, you know, when we start thinking about, you know, FY2027 and some of those strategic goals. Um, so the first section is infrastructure and capital. So, you know, some of my initial observations
are, you know, there are a lot of active projects uh and projects that the town is looking to consider, but um you know, we have to be mindful of enco needs. Um the various projects we have in town, you know, they are toll on staff time.
Um and a lot of times there's some competing interest in terms of, you know, what is the priority at a given time. Um, and overall when we look at projects across town, just a general need for better project tracking and prioritization. Um, so some of the priorities that you
see within the plan include improving our capital planning and prioritization efforts, um, developing a long-term facility strategy, uh, enhancing our project tracking and, um, overall communication to the community on these efforts. Uh, and as you just mentioned,
uh, completing the middle high school, uh, construction project close out. So, general government, uh, operations. So, you know, here within town, we are very fortunate to have an experienced and committed workforce. Um, you know,
our town structure, it's very decentralized. Um, there's a lot of processes um that are very much at the departmental level. Um, and I think that there is a general o opportunity to um provide some more clear and consistent
support. Um the last thing I'll just say is especially in certain departments more than others um you know our departments are pretty lean and so I think as we go forward you know like I said standardizing our policies and procedures uh improving coordination across the departments
um you know we've started this but valuing our boarding committee structures as well as exploring some shared service opportunities are things that the board may wish to consider uh under financial management So, um, we say it all the time, um, but
our budget is susceptible to budget pressures from inflation and the constraints of Proposition 2 and a half. Um, the majority of our revenue comes from property taxes. Uh, and, you know, the town has in the last several years uh, used one-time funds, free cash to
support its operations. So um as has been said many times you know there is a need for long-term financial planning you know so some of the priorities um you know for this next year is working to develop a multi-year financial
forecast and utilizing um software which we hope to begin implementing in FY27 to improve the overall budget process um for tracking departmental requests um and
the budgets that go before the board. You know, as always, there's opportunities to expand our grant opportunities, and something that uh was started this past year, but I think um should be considered is continually evaluating our fees and revenues um across the
different permits and activities in town. uh for economic development. You know, uh I think uh my biggest takeaway is there's a strong sense that um Westport needs to preserve its community character and you know, any new growth
um should be smart growth and compatible um with the vision for the community. Um you know, with economic development, you know, limited new growth reduces our ability to generate additional revenue. Um, and so, you know, I think going
forward, you know, economic development is going to play a role in our long-term financial sustainability strategy. Um, you know, but that can take the form a lot of different ways and I think that's a continuing conversation as we go forward. You know, one of the things,
um, you know, again, we're doing a lot with online permitting. Um but anything we can do to improve the pering process uh and reducing the barriers to uh open and maintain a business here in town is something that we should strive for. Um working with our local business
community and getting feedback about how we can make it uh easier to do business in town and support them. Uh and lastly updating the master plan. So uh this is something where the last major update was 2026 with a minor update during COVID. Um, but this is something where
>> 2016 I think. >> 2016. >> Yeah. >> Yes. Did I say that? >> You said 2016. >> Oh, 2016. Yes. Uh, with a minor update in 2021. Uh, but the master plan includes a chapter on economic development. So, I
think, you know, through that planning process, we can hone in on maybe even more specific goals that we want to consider um going forward. Is that led by the planning department or >> that is? Yes. >> But they'll have a committee that
someone could get appointed to from us. >> Okay. >> Yes. Uh and I also say the master plan uh is a very extended planning process with a lot of community input. It touches a lot of different areas, but it's um it's it's a good complimentary
tool um to the other plans that we have here in town. Uh moving on to communication and engagement. So um you know we have a community that's very engaged which is fantastic. Um you know with that there
is uh the expectation you know that we are communicating out on town activities um through our various departments and operations. You know I'll note that uh some departments are better at getting their message out than others. Uh and
that's just again going to require some continued work. So, you know, for priorities, improving outreach efforts and accessibility for the public, um enhancing our website, which is new this past year, um but enhancing it for user
friendliness, um and also, um putting more information online through our services. And as the board's previously discussed, evaluating and developing, uh this communications role or this function um to better serve this area.
And uh my last area um for organizational development you know as I mentioned before we have a very experienced workforce a dedicated workforce um you know but something that has been said is additional u staff support um whether that's uh through
systems software um or personnel um and one of the other things I will note is you know in the next few years we are anticip anticipating uh some retirements some people who have served us a many number of years um and who um
you know will will have a hard time replacing. So I think as we go forward, you know, expanding our staff training and development, um looking at succession planning and looking at um you know, our staff today,
uh standing standardizing our HR policies and processes um and improving our internal systems to uh better meet the needs of our staff is going to be critically important, you know. And just um my last slide, I
want to thank the select board um the town staff, the members of the community for their patience with me. I want to give a special thank you to Carla and Paula uh of our select board office who have been um helping me throughout the transition process and uh educating me
on the way things have uh been here within town. and I appreciate the input um and I look forward to working together on these goals. So that thank you and there's a discussion slide but
certainly uh leave it to you >> uh just one area but it's covers two parts. So, I'm looking at the capital uh items under infrastructure, and I like all of those goals. Communicate,
capital improvement plan enhancements, internal tracking, all good stuff. >> Mhm. >> As I read that, I said, "Well, maybe we ought to update the five-year capital plan." And voila. And in section four, you have 41, develop a multi-year financial forecast to guide long-term
budgeting and capital planning decisions. So my question is and it we're we were in we're into the third year well probably starting the fourth year of the five-year plans both of those plans. So we could update those or simply rebuild
those according to these uh according to these goals and but we probably ought to do something with them. We we already have both plans. >> Mhm. >> But do we want to scuttle them? And I'm not opposed to that. Uh or you just revamp them or update them? Uh I don't
know you want to create how much more work you want to create for yourself. >> Yeah. So I think um you know one of the things that was supported here for town meeting was funded um was a new system to track and accept uh different capital
requests um and tracking those expenditures. I think obviously the data information that we've collected to date will be very helpful but in reviewing what we have on the books there may be some additional things that we want to start tracking or start thinking about.
You know, one of the other things um that we've discussed uh prior occasions is our methodology for grading these different requests. you know I think ultimately you know when we go through this exercise and that system's
implemented um it's going to be challenging departments to start thinking about this not just for you know year five but also year six and knowing what we need to be able to make a decision so that these projects could
be adequately considered and acted on. You know, I think where this comes into play about the financial forecast is, you know, a large part of our capital plan uh is obviously funded through free cash and as you know, um a lot of times uh there's more requests than there are
dollars to support it. So I think one of the things is that doesn't necessarily mean that the need goes away but I think um you know from the time that this gets on the CIPC's radar and the town's radar
uh it doesn't stop the discussion as to all right if not free cash or if not the funds on hand from the town you know are there different for example grant opportunities that we could start to target even if we're not planning for it
this year. Maybe now this is on our radar and now we can have the conversations about seeking those funds next year or the following year. Um and again trying to identify where the best source of funds is to maximize the dollars. So I think what information we
have I think will be a good starting point. Um and then what we need will be you know in collaboration with the CIBC and the board. Okay. Did you have one? >> No, that works.
>> Okay. Any other comments? I know I've had conversations with Chris D. >> I have I have as well, but I I think the communication aspect is key and I think we started it um tonight with the committee stuff, cleaning up those committees, getting the right committees online because there are many committees
that still aren't there in the membership list. So, I think just that public engagement, that forward- facing stuff where people can actually find the stuff on the website. And I know long term uh Shauna and and I really think there should be, you know, some sort of web uh inter individual that focuses
more on the web. But I think that that that's going to be key because that's what people see the most and trying to find agendas and committee stuff. So that that's great and I I think we started along that path today. So once we get that cleared up, we should be good. >> Well, and I really appreciate the town Facebook page now. So that's good. But I
think um but I think that public information officer or the communication officer and we saw that just with the fire, right? That who's supposed to be talking to who and who should the reporters be talking to and that kind of thing. I think that's the thing that I like I'm glad you see it on here. I
think we've made some progress, but I think we got to keep going. >> Right. Anything else on that? I think it's well written and I think that it's going to be a good measure of what our performance was a year, two years down the road in regards to how many of these goals have actually been met.
>> Thank you. >> Okay, so now we're on to the town administrator report. This will be more current. >> Uh yes, and I know there was a few things that were discussed tonight, so I won't touch on those. Um just to say
thank you to everyone uh for a successful town meeting. Um you know if members of the board of the public have feedback with regards to the handouts or theformational session or the motions packet you know I encourage you to reach out to my office
um so we can make it better for next year. Um so uh the next item I just wanted to touch on uh the mid city scrap fire. So on May 4th, uh Westport police and fire personnel responded to a significant fire at Mid City Scrap um
which is located on State Road. Um this fire due to the strong winds and the nature of it um also spread out into small um you know fires within the adjacent wooded area and it resulted in a large scale mutual aid response. Um
there were a number of agencies involved uh that uh helped us coordinate the fire suppression um evacuation planning, air monitoring, traffic management and the ongoing site operations. Um air monitoring conducted during that
time was done by DP and the EPA and they did not find elevated air quality readings in the surrounding community. Uh, Mass D continues to oversee the environmental review associated with the incident. Uh, on May 8th, Mass D issued
a formal notice of responsibility to the owner of Mid City Scrap, and they are requiring additional environmental assessment activities, including surface water sampling and evaluation of nearby private drinking water supply wells
within 1,000 ft. Um so additional corresponds all that will be done through um their contracted LSP. Um you know as I mentioned that review is ongoing. Additional updates will be provided as more information becomes
available. Um, but from last week, I wanted to just take a moment and recognize our fire chief, Dan Baldwin, and our director of public health, Matt Herdo, for their work on the incident, as well as their ongoing response,
taking calls, responding to emails. Um, they did a very good job. >> Thank you, too, to all the other communities that participated. There was quite a large m uh >> absolutely >> aid from other communities. >> Yes. um >> mutual aid. That was
>> and I'll notify the board if any additional information uh comes out on that. Um the FY27 uh cherry sheet estimate updates. Um the state continues to work on the budget process. Um you know based off of what
the Senate proposal came out with this past week is looking very favorable compared to what we have budgeted for. Um so we are continuing to monitor that. Uh, our harbor master mentioned the oil spill drill um this week, May 13th. Um,
>> May 13. >> May 13th. Yeah. I don't know what I said. Um, so just an update on the parking fees. Uh, we did refer this to our police chief and town council. Uh, and we plan to have a report um,
tenatively for that June one meeting with that information. Um the fire department received uh two grants totaling just under $10,000 uh to support life safety education programs for students and seniors. And just want
to recognize our firefighter and Marine Peekom for her continued efforts with this grant initiative. Uh and lastly, uh at town meeting this past week, we launched a communications survey, um with the hope that we can gather feedback from residents, businesses,
community members on how the town can improve communications uh and its public outreach efforts. So, the survey link is on the town website on the homepage. Uh we encourage those watching to uh go and complete it. Should take just about five minutes.
With that, thank you. Thank you. Um, all right. The minutes of April 27th. >> I found no errors or emissions and they look perfect. >> So, you are >> I make a motion to approve the minutes from April 27th, 2026.
>> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> I >> I That's unanimous. We have a report on the bill warrant. >> It was uh $1.9 million last week. everything was in order and uh that doesn't need to be voted on as we all
know. So, it's looking good. >> Okay, >> everybody's doing a good job. >> Thank you. Um, select board committee reports or suggestion for future agenda items. Um, Craig, >> well, I sort of gave uh the the the most important thing from the affordable
housing trust, but um I I think that the other two committees have uh have not met since um the last um the opioid settlement and um the long-term building committee. >> I thank you, Dick.
>> Okay, this is important. So, the audit committee met and u we spoke with a town auditor Anthony Rosselli. As you know, we y when we're done with our drill, uh we have him present to the select board either by Zoom or whatever is sometimes
he comes in person. So, he's available either June 1st or June 22nd. We could have him in or zoomed in to make his report as we usually do. I'll leave it up to either one would let us know. And uh I'm continue to working on the open
space recreation committee. That's where we're revising the the plan. Uh Ross Moran who was here earlier, he's instrumental in that and Dana Stewart. So that's coming along very nicely. That's it. >> All right. Thank you, Jake.
>> Uh I think the only update we had was offshore wind. Um covered a little bit. Um we're probably gonna obviously uh address the charter and what what our goal is with respect to that. We'll probably we'll be having a meeting in August, but then after that point, we'll be meeting in February and August of
every year. That was the only update I had. >> Um, so we also attend the climate resilience committee. >> Well, I was going to allow you. You're the select board appointee. I'm a conservation appointee. >> The climate resilience committee continues to work on finalizing the report. Um, the committee, it's coming
along pretty nicely actually. Um, just trying to they had different working committees working on stuff and now they're trying to conglomerate one report. So, it's just trying to make it all have the same voice and that kind of thing. Um,
I was also attending the offshore wind committee meeting and then, um, there was a school building committee meeting which I attended half of. Um kind of the news out of that is that bond council has recommended
that we stop spending uh money until the uh we think we have about a million two available still on the project. We're not overspent, but um the way that the reimbursements work, we actually have over over borrowed um while we're
waiting for the reimbursements to come back. And so bond council has advised that we don't take up any new um spending until we've kind of resolved all that. Right? So we want to make sure that we haven't we definitely have not gone over budget but we're on the edge.
Right. Um we used projected amounts for expected reimbursements from the state and um but we haven't got and we assumed that they would 50% of what we submitted would be um would be reimbursed but we want to make sure there's a buffer in
case they don't reimburse 50%. Um so uh they recommended no new spending. We had the the committee did vote to spend more money but it was um uh a couple of things that we had already voted to move forward with. And so the work had already been done. So we paid the
invoices. But so the gist of that is we are trying to wind down so stop stop any further spending. There was conversation at a previous school building committee about building a road through the campground but you know bond council is like no that's not part of the original project and also see above where you
shouldn't be spending any more money until it's all worked out. So we're definitely not over budget but we're definitely running out of money. So, and also just need to we've been in the building five years. We just need to close close project.
Um, >> go ahead. Did you >> just a quick question? So, like there are some ongoing projects that if they probably don't get fixed, you may we may have more costly issues in the long run >> there. Um, >> I know there's some issues with the fields I heard about or I saw on the the
meeting with irrigation and stuff like that. So, how is that going to be addressed? Because if you lose the fields, is it going to cost us $250,000 to fix as opposed to the $75,000? >> So the um so the committee has taken a few two a few tries at that, right? So
one is if it's warranty work, we need to review and get it done through the warranty, right? Um the second is um there I think it's the roof project, but there's still some discussion between the OPM and the architect and the um general contractor that hasn't been
finally resolved. So, we're we're trying to get the appropriate like if if it's a warranty defect, we need to get them if it was a um architectural flaw, then we need to get them to address it. But we're really at the end of almost all of that. So, we're really at the point now
where >> um it if if something needs to be fixed, it's on us. No, it's part of the capital improvement. It be part of the capital plan. Obviously, you try to exhaust your legal measure, but I know for the roof particularly, they've been looking at that for a couple years.
>> Everyone's pointing fingers at each other. >> Everybody's pointing fingers at everybody else. And um at a certain point, they and really the the it's unlikely that we'd be reimbursed for anything from the MSBA at this point because we've been occupying the building for five years, right? And so it should have been closed out a couple
years ago and so we're unlikely to get any reimbursement for anything. So it would have to just go on the regular capital plan. Um I thought I had another one. All right. So that's that's it for me. We do have
um two items that are under the not anticipated 48 hours in advance. Um the first one is the who asked us to weigh in on this is Steve or >> Replet's office. So, Representative Wlette asked us um there is before the
state h in the state house at some part of the process the Buzzards Bay coalition is um entering into an agreement with the DCR about the use of a building um on the state beach property. Um we don't have any authority or control over what happens on the
state like between the DCR and the Buzzard Bay coalition, but Representative Wlette wanted to know if we wanted to weigh in on it. Um it's I think they're going to use it for Gnome Surf is one of them they're going to use for Gnome Surf and then um there's some other charitable organization that they want to just use. I think there's a
vacant building that's already there. They're just changing the news. So I'm just I don't think we need to make decision about it, but if anybody has any questions certainly contact Representative Wulette um if you have any comments on that one. >> Yep. >> That's Horses Neck Beach, right? >> Yeah, it's a building at Horses Neck
Beach. Yeah, we we had a piece of paper on that in the pack. I >> saw in the pack correspondence or something. >> Yeah, that was their email to us. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And I thought it was not our purview. >> Yeah, I don't think it's our perview either, but I didn't want to just like decide that. >> As soon as we tell when, we might end up owning a piece of it.
>> We might. But anyway, if you want to weigh in, contact Representative Wulette. Um the other one is u representative is um working with council at the state house to evaluate beach pass violation fees parking tickets for beach passes.
>> All right. >> So the parking tickets and beach passes are a state law. That's why we can't just decide to increase them the way we did with the landing commission. Um he is looking at filing a home rule petition to increase the fee. He
suggested $100. I suggested 200 since we just made the landing. Um, so he's looking for input on that one too. I assumed this board would be favorable to him and increasing the fees, but if you have comment on what you want that to be maybe to represent that.
>> Okay. Just a question on that. And Chris, does this impact the overflow boat ramp that we're talking about as well or no? Is this different? >> I believe it will. Um, however, I did just touch base with Shauna before this meeting and I'm going to see if Repoette
will connect with council. Okay. >> Um, cuz again, he's preparing this information. So, >> um, >> but they're not consistent right now. It's what $25 at the boat ramp and I think it's 50 for the cherry web for a ticket. I was told >> I think it's 50. >> Okay. So, they're not consistent as it
is. So, they're much different. >> They're different anyway. Yeah. Different pertain to different things. So >> yeah, >> listen, I am all in favor and I think everyone I had someone at at town meeting come out and they said that should be $500 for overnight and I'm like oh okay but >> when I told when I told Steve I think it should make 200 since town meeting just
the landing at 200 he's like oh but then you're going to get a lot of appeals. I'm like I don't care. >> That's fine. >> But but again that that that sets a precedent and people will not want to get a $200 ticket. So it'll once it happens to one or two people where it gets out especially if they're non-residents, right? I mean, we as we
discuss at town meeting, there will be situations where a town resident maybe forgot their sticker, hang tag, you know, that'll be taken care of, but I'm all in for the $200 on that, too. >> I'm in for 500. >> Feel free to contact Representative with your your payments on that. >> Um, I do have one thing for
unanticipated. So, uh, I was contacted, um, by the governor's office, uh, to participate in the state's commission for, uh, pilot payments. I know that and unsolicited, but I think they're trying
to get, um, input from a lot of different voices. You know, one of those includes someone from the municipal space. Um, this is a state appointment. So, I wanted to just before I responded or made any type of commitment there, I just wanted to get the board's take on that.
>> I I think it would be a great idea because we we um benefit greatly from the Horses Beach Reservation pilot payment to the town and um >> and when they cut it, it hurt us dramatically.
>> Yes. Right. I mean, I think it's good and and and in in eminently in our self-interest. >> Yeah. I I'll know it's an advisory committee, so it's just recommendations that are put forward. You know, my goal is to try and provide a neutral response, but obviously leaning towards
what municipal um factors come into play when it comes to these payments. So, >> the revenue from horses neck used to be a lot more when it was maintained better, but that's also a state issue. Sorry. Okay. Any other topics? All right. Is
there any comments or statements from the public? We have public that lasted through a three-hour meeting. I like Good job, gentlemen. We usually not have people at this point. >> Um, is there anything else before we close?
>> Jake, >> I am all set. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> You want to make a motion? >> I have a motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> All in favor? Bye. >> Bye.