We are going to call to order the Wheatly Select Board meeting of Wednesday, June 11th at being now 6 PM with the local elections just happening yesterday. Um this is the opportunity for the select board to vote on reorganization of roles and
responsibilities. So we'll open up to if there's any motion for a would like to be the chair. I would like to move Joyce Palmer Forge as chair. Second. All those in favor?
I I Joyce will be chair. If there is a motion for vice chair. Well, at this point, Joyce is the chair. Oh, I can chair. Okay. Take over. Okay. Go for it. I would enter in a motion for vice chair.
Uh, but I would move that Fred be chair. Second. all the way down the left. All those in favor? I I and I entertain a motion for
clerk. Julie Wagner as clerk. Second. All those in favor? I I All right. Great. We were reorganized. Congratulations to us. And Natalie's right here on time. Um let's take care
of the two really easy things. Uh, are there any comments on the meeting minutes from our previous meeting? Move to approve the minutes. Second. All those in favor? I I. And, uh, were there any comments on the veteran payroll warrants? None.
Okay. Um, public comments. Um, there is there anyone who'd like to provide comments up to three minutes per person on items that are not on the agenda? That is a public comment we received via email. Okay. Um, all right. I'll read
that one out. Um, hi folks. I suggest the select board work proactively with our local Massachusetts legislators, very appropriate here, to attempt prioritizing fixing the one lane Christian Lane bridge, currently
numbered 3,90 on the replacement list. I I'm so happy it's only four digits there. Um, many of our regional neighbors have done so successfully with having multiple bridges rebuilt or replaced in a tiny
little. The bridge is coincidentally next to some of the town's several year old double telephone calls. This is from Dan Denny and double poles. That's fighting words. So, uh, that's one puff and helmet. Um,
thank you Dan. I see someone named Kathy is on Zoom. Kathy, do you have any public comment to make? She's she comes up later in the meeting. She's Oh, she's later in the meeting. Okay. The feasibility study. For the feasibility study. Oh, I didn't see her name on the agenda. Okay. But she's still public.
She can still Okay. Anyone else? Somebody by it right now. Oh, okay. If you've joined by phone and you wanted to make a public comment for an item that is not on the agenda, just let us
know. Okay. Okay. I'm not seeing a response. Oh, there we go. Hi. Public comment. No, I guess so. All right. Well, let's
call it public comment closed. Um, porte on the agenda, we have an appointment. We have our state representative Natalie Blake here. Um, I guess just chat about whatever we want to chat about. Really pretty much. Do
you have you have something you want to just Where do you want me? Anywhere. You can sit at the table. Be nice. That's gonna give you all. It's okay. I can't have I have I have
four. I ran out of st is is what happened. So I have one that is barely stable because that's okay. we figure out. So this is uh you know every year I get
together with all of the select boards in the first Franklin district which includes 17 boards. It's just an opportunity to touch base, see what's on your minds, talk about any legislation that's pending, anything that is a that
you're hearing about from your constituencies that are shared constituencies and go through the 40 bills that I've offered in the legislature, plus the approximately what will be 20 whole role petitions, including the dissolution of the weight league water district, which did have a
hearing, I think, last month. So, we're working on on that one for it's really just an opportunity to sit down and I'm really grateful for you making time for me as I know these meetings are always so thank you. Um and
I'll turn it over to you. This is this is really your time and if you have questions, comments, anything. That's why and it was a great commute. Spectacular commute from Southfield. Yes.
pass two free houses. It's way better than going to Boston. I'll take this any day. So, if it's helpful, if I I can give you a couple of highlights. You know, what we're seeing in the legislature, you know, I know that we've been hearing
from communities about uh transportation infrastructure. The governor has proposed a multi-year transportation bond bill for chapter 90, which is great. Um it does include the recommendations
of a task force that she convened. So her recommendation is that we would include $200 million for chapter 90 annually under the traditional funding formula which really doesn't help rural communities because it's based on
economic development jobs um mileage uh and population. Yeah. Doesn't really help us. But there is an additional $100 million that she's proposed on top of that $200 million that is solely based on violation that does help us. So that
is a recommendation from the governor that we are considering now in the legislature. Um I suspect that we'll be taking that up soon. I hope we'll be taking that up soon. But that is a positive thing for our communities. Um in the House budget, you've heard me
talk about unpaved roads. the fact that so many of our municipalities have an un like a a high percentage of unpaved roads compared to paved roadway mileage in our communities. Uh the house budget did include $10 million for a new
unpaved road program. Um which is extraordinary. I'm really hopeful that we can get that through conference committee into the governor's desk for signature because that would also really help our communities. Um, we just had a hearing on rural school aid, rural school bill.
We had extraordinary amount of testimony come in from communities across the Commonwealth in support of that piece of legislation. Uh, it is it was proposed to be funded at $16 million set aside,
which is, you know, compared to when I came in when it was $1 million. That's, you know, a big jump over seven years. We still have a little ways to go before we get to the $60 million where we're supposed to be at. So, we're going to continue to fight for that. Um, we have
good news on HIPP. I mean, a lot of you are big proponents of the HIPP program. You know, both the House and the Senate versions and the governor, you know, we're all fighting to get that number up. Uh right now we're looking at $40
per household based on what we're seeing and that's a good thing and we still need to be fighting for that. Uh as this session I'm now the chair of the joint committee on agriculture. So we've been able to really lift up our
local food systems which has been a real honor for me. We had livestock on the common last week which you would have thought that you know it was it was the best thing that Boston Common had ever seen which was amazing had seen it
a long time ago. It's been a while back. It was great. It was really really wonderful to have so many colleagues and we it it was for a number of interns. It was their first week interning in the
state house. So, we were able to have a lot of interns go over to the common to for me to talk to them about crop rotation and cover crops and all the things that that we know, but not everybody does. So, uh that was
that was a really incredible day for us, too. So those are those are just some of the highlights that I wanted to flag for you today. But if there are questions or comments or concerns I wanted your if I can can I ask you what is the status on the reform payments in l of taxes? Yeah.
So that bill has not yet had a hearing. Um Senator Cumber and I have reintroduced that bill based on the original findings that were introduced by auditor bump. So, Auditor Bum proposed a formula change. That formula
change is included in our legislation. We're also um in this legislation proposing that there is an additional an adder for ecosystem payments because there has to be a recognition that what
we're doing out here in the western part of the state when it comes to water, our forests, you know, all of all of the things that are happening out here, uh it matters to the common when we're trying to meet our climate goals. So, we're we've reintroduced the bill with
that original formula and we've added some additional language that would include an ecosystem payment that would help to level the playing field for communities here in Western Massachusetts. I don't know if you've looked at the payments, but some of our communities are getting $15 per acre and
if you look in the eastern part of the state, it's up towards $1,000 per acre, which is tend to be below. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. All all of the confused questions are um so hopefully
um you know we've been able there were two things that were identified in the auditor's report. The first was that there was a $15 million funding gap when we first came in $15 million between what communities were owed and what the Commonwealth was pay. We were able to close that gap.
Very good. Very important. Um, but as we're putting more money into this program with a flawed funding formula, our communities are getting less of the more. So, we really have to dig down and figure out how to change the formula so
that communities in Western Massachusetts are getting payments that are equal to what our our partners are making reopening the funding formula doesn't make it worse
has been known. So this and the the language was really um it really is a partnership with the administration to say you these are there are it's prescriptive in terms of what we should be looking at and it is saying that we need to work with the administration to
figure out what the best formula is moving forward. So that is the language that we have proposed. We'll make sure to reach out to you uh and we would love your support your testimony um to support that piece of legislation. It's long overdue and it is all about reading
equity. Great. Thank you. Yeah, it's fantastic. Um, I have some questions. I'll see if I can formulate them in a way that makes sense. Okay. Uh, you're on the an agriculture. I'm the chair of the ad committee. Yes, chair of the ad
committee. Um, which is only in its second session. uh it was peeled off in the environment, natural resources and agriculture committee as of last session and now it's so what are you seeing statewide in terms of federal cuts to uh
farm subsidies and how is that affecting our farmers? Yeah. Across the state and but particularly in this area. It's certainly impacting our farmers. Yeah. Um it's impacting our farmers and our fisheries. Uh the joint committee on
agriculture also considers matters pertaining to fisheries. We believe fishers are farmers. It's all in this large pool. Um and yes, the cuts have significantly impacted our
progress as they are trying to um you know install solar for example that is one of the federal programs that was significant affected and that our
unfortunately had to bear the brunt of. Um so we are certainly cognizant of what's happening at the federal level which is changing from day to day minute. um and to the extent that the
state can be responsive to what's happening at the federal level and be able to do everything that we can. Um, but there is clearly no way for the Commonwealth to be able to fill the gaps that we're seeing across
the board um from the federal level, whether it's agriculture or Medicaid or whatever it is. Um, even if we're talking about the rainy day fund in Massachusetts, we have an incredible and thanks to the House
and Senate leadership, we have I think a 90 billion 8 to9 billion rainy day fund, which is wonderful. That is where we should be. But the rainy day fund is not intended to supplement to, you know, fix
gaps that the federal government is supposed to be providing. Um, so that's not the fix. Um, so we're going to do everything we can given we we have to have a balanced budget at state level. We can't go into debt. It's
not like the feds, right? We ha where we Yeah, exactly. Just like you. We could borrow from chi. Yeah. We we have to stay within these this very strict limit terms of of what we can spend. Um, so we are
receiving and reviewing what we are um hearing from Washington and are certainly doing everything that we can, but there is no way that the state can fill in more cuts and freezes that beers
across and I'm not just talking about a talking about everything. Yeah, absolutely. Do you expect that the cuts and freezes as they affect farms will uh affect food production with the portless either this year or coming years? I
think that I think that farmers face uncertainty every single day. Yeah. Right. When when it comes to the weather or seed prices Yeah. tariffs
or or labor. Yeah, which we've also there is a lot of uncertainty farmers size. Um I don't know how they do what they do every single day because they are masters at business at marketing at
um planting things that grow and and also finding a way to support our communities by you know providing extra food to food pantries and food banks. Um what our farmers do is
shortberry. Um, so I guess they're going to do everything that they can do and the Commonwealth to the extent that we can and to the extent that I can as I'm considering the 60 bills before my committee, um,
I'm going to be doing everything that I can to be supporting farmers across Commonwealth. The real issue when we talk about farms here in the Commonwealth is the fact that they make 97 cents on the farm. I mean it it it is a losing proposition
for farmers. Yeah. And yet they do it every single day because they love what they do and they care about our communities. They protect our land. They're protecting our viewed. They are you imagine if you for tourism if
somebody came in and saw farmland a field that used to have cows is now a housing develop. that what farmers are doing for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is in my mind undervalued. And so that's sort of my job in the
state house is to talk about that. It's to talk about why we need to be doing more for farmers. And we saw this in the storms 2023. Yeah. The fact that the fact that the Commonwealth came through with direct cash assistance to farmers to my knowledge is the we are the only
state in the nation that has done that rather than low interest loans. Um that is something that we should be proud of and we should continue to be building on. We have an omnibous farm bill that I've offered to Senator Korn uh that brings a lot of this next generation
farming in. You know, how are we getting the next generation of farmers in? How are we supporting existing farmers? How are we looking at the um the environmental issues that they are addressing every single day? And then we have a 21st century farm world report
that should be coming out a couple of months as well as also help to inform hopefully a larger piece of legislation support a couple. Thank you. Yeah, absolutely.
Oh, well, um, I drove down Christian Lane to get here. You probably did after Christian and and Dan had already commented on our nice little one lane bridge, which is number let's just round it to 30 on the on the
bridge list. And I don't really know how to get it to move up the list, but I think that that is something that um that I I if we can get any help with that. That's I'm happy to talk with the Mass Highway District
administrator. I've already made a note of this. Um Okay. I'll even give you a copy of Dan's email. I mean, when we're talking about small bridges and culverts Yeah. That's the the next thing I drove over was a
coverboard that needs to be replaced. Yeah. Um and so that and and I don't remember exactly how where that one stands on on the assistance. We need to do that. We just submitted I think last month the grant application to finish
the design for that. Uh we're still design. Yeah. We're still Yeah. Um and so but the the one lane bridge is not even at the design. There's like no no because that that has to be done at the state level. Yeah,
that's separate process. It's just a little bit too big to call a culprit. Please call it a culprit. Right. Would that be well and I have to say you know the governor was out in Conway who were there um with the secretary secretary of transportation. There is an effort they
have a larger bond bill to provide additional funding for small bridges and culverts. So clearly so if that comes through there may be okay it may be um and then there's just another thing that I I don't know um
what you can do about it but I wanted to make sure you're aware of it. We have another drainage problem on Christian Lane where the origin is really on the private property, but it floods the road, floods people's yards and basements so on. And um we had worked
with NEMA and but I think the money was actually coming from FEMA. They could have some of the details wrong. Um and that was one of the things that got cut by the federal government. So, we are not going to be able to fix that
particular water problem. Yeah. As well. And I'm sure there are other problems on other roads. Just because I drive Christian, I think about all of those mitigation funding that you got. Yeah. Through brick. Yeah. Okay. It's a privately
owned drainage, but we applied for that and it was the award was to do an analysis, determine where the actual issue it was and then provide the recommendation on the remediation correction, whatever. Yeah. How much was
it for? 63. Yeah, it was definitely five digits. I think it was around it was in the It was in the 60s. Yeah. you just send me information on that if you could in that way you know there's a
way for us to help the town you supplant that funding in lie of the federal dollars that would come through try to explore everyone option again recognizing that we can't possibly
that's right it's supposed to be doing right now but yeah yeah I guess I hear the brick program It's awesome. It's so important. And so to see funding like this being cut and I and I guess just a kind of
bigger picture things that I worry about um is that um it kind of comes down to what you just said is the state is not going to be able to absorb all the federal cuts to things people depend on
in Massachusetts. So, it's probably going to get harder in the coming years, not easier to do things like fund schools, equitably, fun the pilot, fun the transportation. Um, and
um, so I I guess what I would offer is that I pay attention to the emails you send, hey, send comments here, send comments there. Um, and keep those keep in common. Um uh and uh uh that just
sometimes we don't know how to advocate effectively. Yeah. So and that that's something that I look to those emails but I still get the ones from Joe Palry even though she's not my senator and uh uh when that tells us how to
advocate that's really helpful. Yeah. I hear you on that. And certainly, you know, we try to be as communicative as we can when these bills come up to make sure that we're reaching out not only, you know, through those emails,
but also, you know, at the town level because if it it is now that you're able to testify in writing virtually or in person, there there's so many ways for people's voices to be heard without having to
drive in Um and and just you know even a short email or a letter note whatever it happens to be to the committee when these bills are being heard were so impactful. Um you know for the rural
schools bill last week we were able to get a panel of students from Mohawk Trail Regional School District to come in. They testified before the committee. So to have those to really center on the students that are most impacted by
funding cuts and and what you're grappling with every single day with town budgets, finance committee, school committee um while trying to do all of the other things that you're trying to do. Yeah. Um to have those student voices in a
committee hearing room, it's pretty spectacular. And they were I mean, you know, they driven out. They had practiced everything that they were going to say. They had their scripts. They got up there and the poise um that they had, you know, was extraordinary
and I'm really grateful. They had several, you know, people here from Boston, Massachusetts, both in person and virtually. and arrived. I want to thank you for introducing the act to try to establish municipal and
public safety building authority. That's what the status or prospect. It hasn't. Yeah. It hasn't yet had a hearing um because small towns just had a real problem. Yes. Funding. Yes. Necessary buildings. Yes. We're asking for horror
stories. Yes. Uh we last session we compiled a booklet uh that we presented to the committee and it was a 100 pages of testimony from communities across the entire comp. I think we have weightlies but I'll double check. Um pictures
stories you know we're trying to continue to add to that book. I think on our picture at the bottom it says please don't show this to OSHA. Yes, there is that too. But, you know, some of our some of our public safety
facilities in the first Franklin don't have rest, but we have turnout here being out in the open. Um, we we can't buy modern Yeah. machinery because can't buy the one because it won't fit.
Yes. Yes. And and that costs us more because we have to buy this. You have to buy customized equipment. Yes. So, I heard this in Asheville. uh they had to get a customized uh piece of equipment because it wouldn't fit within the you know
the garage they have um and we can't buy the equip that we need you know that we should have and want to have because we don't have a place to put it. Right. Right. No, I hear you on that and it's something that I've flagged in my
testimony for that piece of legislation. Uh there's a new chair on the house side, so we're working on bringing them up to speed. But I can tell you that last session we brought the public safety um chair out to the district and it made an impact in his brain. He
definitely heard what we were talking about, especially when he got out to Asheville and Conway and didn't pass service. Um you know, we we had we had told them to print out maps. Um, and so no, I just worry when anything like that
gets established in Massachusetts and the money gets sucked up by suburban Yeah. places as opposed to the very small communities. I I'm we were pretty careful in this language. believe that
there's a world carve out for exactly that reason because what we're seeing in formulas and grants right now is that they don't see us. They don't either we're not eligible or we're not competitive and there's grants
requirements. So, we are working with the administration to lift that up and say we really need to be thinking about rural communities and how they we don't we don't want handouts. We just want to be competitive. We want to be able to be competitive and right now we're not.
It's just hard for a small town of a,000 or 1500 people in the western part of the state to be competitive with a small suburb of 25,000 in the eastern part of the state. But yeah, especially when you're looking at your tax base. Yeah. and where where we may not have I
mean every single we have has stuff they've got to we don't have a lot of like oh you can take somebody that go take three weeks to write a grant on something right and um and relatively I mean we're relatively well off in the
sense that we have our community development administrative but uh uh a lot of small towns don't even have that and so it's the person who's really doing everything else in the town is trying to also figure out how to write this grant so that it'll be effective. It's a lot of
communities in Western Massachusetts. It's that it's the highway administrators writing it, right? It's not their area of expertise. Their area of expertise is fixing roads. Um and so I hear what you're saying, Joyce. I really do. And that is something that
we've been lifting up in terms Works program has been has been transformational in that way. uh in terms of providing technical assistance, some feedback, some response to allow rural communities to be more
competitive. Um mass mass DOT has also just put out sort of a gateway like that which has also been super helpful. So to the extent that the administration is able to do that, I think that they are. But Brad, to your point, you know, it
doesn't make up for having a full-time grant writer on the staff doing that every single day. I'm always like, just give them the money. We we know that you are going to spend this money well. We know that you are
going to stretch every dollar to the extent that you can. Um it but you just don't have you know the capacity to be able to apply for all of these grant programs. You just don't. And so we to the extent that we're able to work with formulas and the grant programs to be
able to make them more um make rural communities more eligible competitive and the formula side just send money our way without even having to apply in the first place. Um, that's really what we
should be think. Oh, no. That's okay. I can get a cover from um but call email anything that you all need and I'll make sure to lean on you pieces of legislation that are moving up. So it would be super helpful to have
your disability in person. Just want to thank you also for being as responsive as Oh my gosh. Yes. And you back and like oh my god sometimes ends up being like 7 o'clock
at night when I actually You do and I I very much appreciate it. I'm sure we all do. Thank you. I appreciate you all really. I mean, the time that you all put in uh for this community is incredible and uh
your partnership is amazing. So, please stay in touch. Let me know if there's anything we can do to help. I'll keep you posted on lately. this the water district dissolution just texted the chair a couple days ago just to make sure that this was on his radar screen um and I'll I'll make sure to keep you
posted on and items okay right thank you so much to you take care okay so moving on to new business um first item is um annual town meeting any follow items from the June 3rd
meeting for the discussion. Any followup actions that we need to do for May? I see pretty well and no questions or concerns afterwards.
Thank you. I don't think there's anything to follow up about. I just wanted to give you the opportunity in case there's any discussion. Um but the basically all the actions are following standard operating procedures for
planning the PG or getting our budgets now in line ready for July 1st. Um capital projects will be able to get started after July 1st. Yeah. Yeah. I guess the only comment I'd make is that
kind of in hindsight um it kind of took at least Paul and TA by surprise that that article that we thought we needed for uh that you know that putting our new personnel
uh step policy um off town meeting that you know that didn't get decided till way later because at the time we told the finance committee yes it's going to be uptown that meeting. It was like two or three weeks later when town council
said, "No, you you don't do that." Um, and probably giving them a heads up would have been um and I think that sort of took them by surprise and that was not intended. I at least I I certainly didn't intend, but I also remember to say, "Oh, hey, we should give Paul a
call." So, so, so I think that that one that went a little bit uns smoothly, but uh uh other than that, I don't think there's any anything I would worry about. Have you heard anything
from the tenant of the Sugarloaf shop regarding the rejection of that system? Yeah, I mean I sort of I personally I I feel for it, you know, but it a bylaw
change is not really that problem. So are we contacting Paula or is it giving Oops. Uh discussion has been had member. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Um so
we we move on then to the next item under business item B is um I'm assessing we need to exercise a one-year extension on the RRT contract for assessing services. Now we've gone to that regional group we have to keep I
guess renewing it every year. What? Sorry that was your number. Yes. So the the statement you just made. Uh we have to keep renewing that. Well, the current project that you have that is in effect for this fiscal year in
that says that you have the option for two additional one-year terms to extend. So it's only for a maximum of three cost. Yeah. And no no changes to the the agreement. the agreement cost and services stay the same. So you have the
option each year just for two two years the first one being this year uh to extend that agreement happy with the service they've been getting. Yes, the board of assessors did meet to make a determination whether or not we should extend and they did agree
to that. Okay. They they agreed to recommend that we extend it. No. Okay. Any other questions? Entertain a motion. I move the board approve a one-year extension of the current contract with regional resource groups for assessing
services to the town. Second. Okay. All those in favor? I I All right. Great. Um yes, the center school. Um there's apparently uh let's see is to
review discuss and vote sorry to review discuss and vote on proposals for feasibility analysis services of the former school building. Previously we didn't have anybody who responded the feasibility study RFP but now we do correct because it's outside of the RFP.
Oh, I repeat. Well, I should read this. Sure. Judy, I'll give a little bit of background, but feel free to step in if you'd like. Um, so essentially the this particular um item doesn't require RFP process. Um although we did go out to
RFP, we didn't receive any responses. However, it's under the threshold to require it. Um the school the center school committee did reach out to a um consultant that the town has worked with in the past does this type of analysis
work feasibility analysis work. Um so a proposal has been put together by uh McCabe um Kathy McCabe or McCabe Enterprises which meets the the requirement and the scope that the committee would like to see as far as
feasibility options there are. It also includes a structural engineering analysis. Um all of the costs for that are covered by the town meeting capital appropriation, the grant that we received as well as uh CPA funds that
were approved by the CPC for um the structural development. Um so at this point um we have the proposal here. We also have Kathy on hand in case there are any questions. But Judy from the center school committee is also here if
there's any more questions or Judy if you wanted to give any more specifics. You want to add anything to that Judy? Well um I think Pete did a great job. Can you hear me? Pete did a great job summarizing um I
think those of you Julie especially is familiar with Kathy from the exit 35 study group where she prepared what I thought was an excellent market analysis which is why when we didn't get
responses to the RFP we turned to her for her proposal. I have I sent the proposal to Ted Harvey who is an econo e economic development planner at FRCOG. He reviewed it and he
thought it was comprehensive. Um I think I reviewed it. I think it's comprehensive. We didn't have time to get it to the center school for review, but since I'm the one who's been doing most of the
feasibility study work, we went ahead and put it on the agenda for your approval tonight, I would highly recommend it. Um, I think she's caught our needs quite well.
And one correction to Pete, the the town's contribution to the grant match came from the CPA, not from capital budget, but so the 17,000 from the CP CPA. So the state is
paying half of it. I have a question on on page four of McCabe's uh proposal. The total fee is 31,000 which is not fully covered by the 214s. Can you can you address that?
the the CPA, the CPC has something called an administrative expense budget that they can use to to pay for supplemental expenses on on CPA
projects. And last year we needed we knew we needed a structural analysis and we got a $4,500 we got the CPC to vote $4,500 out of their
um administrative expense budget for a structural analysis. So that that will cover the extra $3,000 in the proposal. Okay. the engineering services. Yep.
Okay. Okay. Would love to hear from Kathy when she's ready. Yeah. Jeff, anything to add to that, Kathy? Well, um I just appreciate the
opportunity and thank Judy for her confidence and compliments and um I've worked for Whley before and and um so I look forward to working with you and uh I think the center school project
um feasibility state it's something I like to do. So I'm you know I'm um anxious to have the opportunity to work with you again. Thank you. You have anything, Fred? Not entertain a motion. I move that the
board approve the proposal as submitted by McCabe Enterprises dated June 5th, 2025. Second. All those in favor? I I I Okay. Awesome. Thank you. Thank you. duty.
All right. Um, next item is uh energy storage systems. Uh, we've got a proposed uh general bylaw and a proposed zoning bylaw. Um, in some sense the
general bylaw is the one that's of most concern to us because we are the ones who have to uh decide whether to move forward with that. The planning board is the group who res reviews the zoning bylaw and would bring it forward. Either
way, they would have to be a group that attend meeting of some sort. Um, but uh so that's why both of them are included. And what I'm hoping tonight is that you have questions uh and that we can hopefully with some
help from Judy um address the questions you have about I have a question about decommissioning. Well, two things. Um, you probably noticed that Natalie has an act relative to solar and battery decommissioning and recycling. Yes. Yeah. At the time, I
don't we were not aware. Yeah. Which is great. That's that's happening concurrently. Um, of a question about decommissioning. It looks like the language about decommissioning was struck from the general bylaw, but is included in the
zoning. I can address that. Yeah. Go ahead. Go ahead, Judy. Originally, um, I I did a lion share of the drafting of this and originally I had put the
decommissioning part in the in the general bylaw because it seemed logically to me. The general bylaw is really designed to handle ongoing maintenance and review after the sighting process. And I thought, well,
decommissioning falls there. As we discussed it, we realized that both the select board and the I'm sorry, the planning board and the ZBA are familiar with decommissioning plans
because it's historically been a part of the sighting requirements because there wasn't this second review process. So we decided that it should re the decommissioning
preparation of the decommissioning plan should remain with the planning board and the ZBA as part of the sighting approvals. And I think all of those documents in that section where you saw the strikeout
Julie are documents that will be prepared in conjunction with the ZBA special permit and the planning board site plan approval. And they're actually there so the
the licensing board is aware that they need to expect these. They need to be familiar with them, but they will be prepared before the license application is is being reviewed.
Does that Thank thank you. Yeah, that makes sense. And I had a second question about why it's why the decommissioning plan only applies to tier two because a tier one I don't know to my lay person's eyes seems large enough that you'd want
a decommissioning plan for that as well if it's something that could go up to two acres in size. Well, partly the two it to it I'm I'm not I'm no longer on the planning board, so
I can't comment on what they've done or what I don't even know what draft you have. This was this was um something that we discussed and I I from the start said we shouldn't have a distinction between tier one and tier two. They
should both have decommissioning plans. But I was not the one drafting. So the person drafting uh became then then it falls back to me. Um at the time we drafted that tier 2 we thought that the smaller
smaller um facilities really didn't didn't need a decommissioning plan. The the two acres is is reduced by setbacks. So, so it's considerably smaller once the the actual site of the building is
smaller than that. But I think that's a comment that you should make to the planning board as they continue working on their their um zoning bylaw. And I I agree with you, Julian. That's a
comment I will make. Yeah. That I was a neighbor. I wouldn't want to know that they have plans for decom, right? because someone could walk away from that and the town is stuck with even if they lose the property to um to taxes by walking away from it. Who needs a toxic
mess to clean up and Right. So that's So a comment should go to the planning board, you say? Yes. Yeah. Okay, cool. Thank you. Uh I've got one question on the licensing board. Why
Constitution of that committee has changed from members of different committees to simply the select board. Oh, agility essentially. I'm expertise or
familiarity. Yeah. I think because the select board already does licenses. We do all the other licenses in them. Um and if you had to on like on the someone making application for license, then try
to pull together all of those people, you're it's it's just going to be a harder obstacle um for for everybody involved. Um and so keeping it it that was a way of simplifying. Um honestly, the thing I
turned into Pete already had those didn't I mean didn't show the earlier version because what you're seeing is different versions. We had discussions and decided that wasn't the way to go. So, I I don't know why all of those edits are showing up here. Um, honestly,
but um I it was really to try and make it a little more simple and try try to have it be a little less ownorous on us to be able to review a license. If I could add to that, I think it was
at least the committee's sense that the select board could really call on people from the various committees for their opinions without requiring them to to sit through all the meetings. Yeah. So, we we could we could certainly call on the chief the fire chief's
expertise and so on. That was going to be my next question is before a license a pending license comes before the select board will everything have gone through appropriate approvals
with fire chief and landing and the zoning and conservation etc. or will will there be a a channel of approvals before it gets to a license or do we have to do all of that when we're
considering the license? Yeah, they don't have to go through zoning and ZBA, but maybe it's part of the zoning that they get approval from the fire and safety people and I think also the water commissioners. Um so, so the answer is
yes. I think okay the way this was structured is all the approvals to put the thing in place should be done before the licensing board gets the application and then so this and then this just requires that you determine that yes in
fact you can document that that all happened. Got it. Okay. Thank you. the section about sighting and dimensional requirements. It says it shall minimize impact, removal of trees should be minimized,
etc. It doesn't necessarily say, unless I missed it somewhere else, which is highly possible, uh, who evaluates whether those impacts have been are mined? I think you're on the zoning bylaw. Yeah.
Yeah. Does the conservation commission do that? That's part of the site plan review that the planning board would do. Site plan review. Okay. Not bad. One important thing for maybe people at
home or um or looking at this later um this is not intended to uh regulate people having a home energy backup battery because that's yeah so the the minimum size is larger than any um battery you
would have in your home. So, we're not trying to discourage or encourage either way people having storage fabric system. This is clearly for a storage facility,
not a residential based uh energy storage battery or small commercial. Yeah. Or small commercial. So within the sizes that I mean the the low the the minimum size that this applies to is well above
what you might have in a residential or commercial facility. The zoning bylaw relies very heavily on the fire regulations and I've forgotten the acronym FLPA. Um,
I didn't I didn't review that one prior to this meeting, but the chief suggested that we look at those as a way of determining um sensible regulations. So
the size and the water requirements and when certain protections kick in are all based on the standard fire protection uh document that regulates
battery or energy storage and I think that's helpful in dealing with state authorities as well as giving us a reasonable logic and Chief Kennedy was um believes that they're they're very
comprehensive and from what I could tell in reading them I think they definitely are and they would be updated more frequently than this Bible. Yeah. So, so that so there's an advantage to not only to an advantage of reasonleness that
that no one could accuse us of being unreasonable in our restriction of saying hey you have to follow these national safety standards but it's also as those develop that's you know as those change over
time get getting more strict getting less strict whichever way it's spelled that we are we're tied to that. We're not tied to whatever number we happen to know particular day that this gets passed. I have only one other question um on the
general bylaw under licensing item six of the licensing board. Shall we review the operations and movements every two years? Is there a reason it's not ending? I think we can do it annually as well
because there there will be an annual report. Um but if we miss one, we're not out of compliance with our own bylaw. But that's some flexibility. I don't know if there's another reason for that,
Judy. Well, I think the timing was one of the things that we felt maybe we needed your input on, but also um
what you're really looking for is major changes in either the the fire protection laws or or that the maintenance hasn't been done. You know, one one real problem with
these facilities is that nobody's they they're relatively new. Nobody's sure how long they're going to last, you know. So, you're you're looking for deterioration. Um, and you will get an annual report.
And I think if if and also as you do a license, you can condition it so that if you feel it's a really big system, you want to look at it more often. But but that is is the kind of thing that if you feel that that's not
appropriate, um this is your bylaw to approve. We're just suggesting. Okay. Well, I appreciate as usual the amount of work that goes into doing something
like this. Thank you to everybody who's been working on it. Any others for you? No, I think we don't have to take any action on this tonight. In fact, um it would be good to hear more from planning board. My
understanding is the planning board has a lot on their plate that they're they might be feeling a little overwhelmed with the first draft of this uh bylaw. Uh and so that it I I don't expect that it's urgent for us to pass this. I think
if we get a uh standalone battery energy storage system zoning bylaw that planning board wants us to put through, we should put through a matching general bylaw. So it might be good to see what kind of of
changes or simplifications or or what the planning board and it's also no urgency because this has to be approved by by a special town meeting which probably would not occur until sometime in the fall at this point at the early. Yeah. Yeah. Um a question for Pete. Does
I assume there has to be a public hearing? No. The only public hearing is required for zoning bylaw amendments general except when it's a local historic district bylaw for a general bylaw but other general bylaws don't require a
public hearing. Okay, that helps. There was in my report there is one additional related item which was raised um I believe in discussion during the battery energy whether or not a moratorum could be proposed. Yeah. Yeah,
that was a kind of a after the town meeting u off sides with the chair of the planning board. He suggested that that might be a way to to move forward, but it I it looks like you looked into that a bit. Yeah. So, town council gave
us a response or um basically legal background and the fact that um these storage systems are protected under um section 3 of 4DA which means we cannot
essentially do it. we have significant uh proof to demonstrate that there is an absolute need um and that there is health, safety and wellness issues that are readily apparent and without that we
we'd likely lose um if we put forward and adopted a moratorum it probably would get resented by THE. Yeah. Several towns have had that happen. Yeah. Yeah, I remember we did that with the
solar, but we were only asking for six months um on that to get a solar bylaw done. So I think um maybe by six months and nobody challenged it. So it never got and so maybe that one was not
strictly speaking culture either possibly but but yeah there is already actions by the AG um uh yeah turning down other right
so all right well then this will come up again later so if you have more questions feel free to bring them up at any times. Anybody have anything else to say on this? Yes. Thank you, Judy. Yes, thank
you, Judy. You're welcome. Okay. Um, next item, uh, personnel appointment of a planning board and CBA administrative assistant. This is like on every single agenda. It is. Yeah.
Yeah. I I would entertain a motion here. Oh, I move that we appoint uh Gwendelyn Kimberling as the planning board in Zen administrative assistant. Second. All those in favor? I I All right. Great.
Okay. Uh next board of the Aison on updates and we'll start from your end at this point. The only thing I have is that we have conducted we've got resumes in from the community development administrator. Um we selected four resumes for
interviews. We've interviewed one so far. The other three are next month. Okay. Great. Um let's see. Nothing for the water department. We haven't had a meeting for a while. Um, Cindy Steiner writes,
"Thank you so much to the board for approving unused sick time for my use while out on medical leave." She's uh got an acting director appointed while she's out on medical leave as well as a substitute library associate, two
substitute associates. So, she's grateful for the support of the town and uh has her has her position covered. Um, last thing is that the garden swap has happened twice and has been very
successful. We get rained on almost every time. Last time we got four gone. Uh, but it is because we do it on Saturday. It's only on Saturdays. It is happening again this weekend till uh June 14th. Uh, theoretically from 11 to
2, although we may break down a little early. Um, we're not entirely certain this time of the quantity of things that we will have, but we're hoping to have some vegetable starts that can go in later in the year because it's later in
the year. Uh, some flowers and a potential combination of fruit and fruit plants from our spons. Oh, very good. Yeah. Okay. Um I have two short items. Uh one
is the cable advisory sorry the cable franchise negotiating committee will have their first meeting on Friday uh to get that process started. I don't expect it to be uh long or ownorous. Uh but at some point at the end of the process
we'll be asked to sign a franchise agreement with uh Comcast um in which they agree to give us some money and we agree to let them sell us stuff on their own shopping network
and and provide cable to the town. Um the uh you'll know on the next selections agenda there's um an update to the intermunicipal agreement for the South County senior center. Um and uh it's only has two changes in it. So when
you get that information focus on the two changes uh we're somewhere between now and then we'll send it to get comments from council on those changes. Um but this is going to the board to select them for all three towns and uh if all three towns approve
it then it becomes a new IMA. It's got a new uh updated funding formula and it updates the board to have uh selectman or their designate plus an active senior center member of board. So those are the
two changes. Um, so those will um that's coming your way from the South Senior Center and um we're still looking for a permanent home. We actually were approached by someone who has a building that may actually work for us, but I
don't want to say a lot about it because then you'll say, "Well, how much does it cost and what's in the lease or what's in the can we buy?" You're going to ask me all these questions. I don't know the answer to. Um, but it's it's actually a a location that a location that can work and a building that can work. Um, so
there's a lot of potential there. Um, if so, we're going to be coming back and asking for money. U, but I uh but I I I don't want to I don't want to start rumors or anything like that.
So that's it for me. But the doors open. The birds hurt me. They must have like a nest right near the bay or something. Oh, that's okay. They can chime in. As long as they don't fly in. All right, Chad. Administrator updates.
Uh, just a few updates. Um, the community electric aggregation um at the previous meeting discussed the the fact that with our electric supply, our aggregation plan, we do a multi- town um aggregation uh bidding process. that's
overseen or supported through Colonial Power as our consultant. Um, our current supply contract runs through the end of this year. So, generally work for committee aggregation should go out six months prior so they can secure good
rates. Um, as of noon today, I can report that we did the multit supplier and our term length. And then based on that, I then put in the three products that we will uh provide to the
residents based on the energy committee uh discussion. Um again, this does not go into effect until January 1st and all all businesses and residents under the program will get information about it. Um the new
supplier and what those rates are. Uh the supplier is First Point. Um they are becoming a large uh community aggregation supplier in New England. Um and they did come in as the cheapest um supply rate. We all agreed on the
34month supply agreement as well. Oh, 34. Yeah. Oh, okay. So, we did go with the three-year. Yes. Three year less two. Um, yeah. They were all all of them were always less two because they always wanted to end um on April instead of not
in April. Palace um do our bidding in April. So, end in October. Yeah. Great. October 31st. Yes. Yes. Right. Yeah. Um, okay. And our standard product will be lower than
Eversource's current rate. Um, that standard product being mass wreck plus 31% national wind. So 100% renewable. There will be two additional optional products that um rate payers in the town
will be able to select if they choose. mass Rex uh requirements plus 31% mass class one RECC's meaning uh renewables generated mass and um that is
01 cent per kilowatt higher than the basic or the standard service did you say this the bas what the default was it is.13045 okay The first optional product is.14068 and then the second optional product is
100% mass class one rec um and that's at 0.15452 uh so about two and a half cent higher than the standard um but it means that all three products are 100% renewable um
and the standard product um at the current time it will be lower than me ever sources uh supply rates so we will still be saving money. Um so that agreement that that's been signed off. Um but yeah again everybody
will receive mailers. I believe they do it either 30 or 60 days prior to the change. So likely in November, December everybody will see mailing information. Okay. Put that article in the scoop in September. Yes.
Um just a note, uh our custodian that serves our town buildings and our library unfortunately suffered a stroke. Um he's doing well. He's completely fine, but does obviously take a couple months off as he recoups. Uh so um when
Keith comes back, we will determine how we will replace or uh supplement those services. But in the meantime, uh the library staff is handling their custodial services in their building.
Highway department is assisting at the town hall and then town office staff are handling the town offices. Um so we're we're covering it for the at least for the couple weeks. Um and then Keith will be back. I had wondered if we wanted to send him
a card. Yeah, he's a friendly guy when you see him around. He's Yeah, I wouldn't I'm not sure that I recognize him, but I would be happy. Oh, I see him at both the library and here some would be very
very grateful if he did something. I throw flowers. Yeah, about it. So, whose plane is that on? Um, I could take I could take care of that help as well. Yeah, I would contact you just to
figure out. Absolutely. Okay. Ask Jess. Yeah. Call me BB. Okay, cool. Um, on to other electric related things. Eversource is in the process of replacing outdated electric meters with
new smart meters. That replacement process will not require any fee or charge from the town or or the town. Um so Ever Source is going to be doing this at our town properties over the summer course of the summer.
And one more electric related is in terms of the solar panel project here at the town offices. Uh part of that project requires replacing and upgrading the transformer out at the street front. that will happen this
Friday in order to do that. Power needs to be shut off to the building. Thankfully, the town offices aren't open on Friday, so it will not impact town services, but it does mean if staff were to come in or even if you were planning to stop by, just be aware that there will be no electricity in the building
for a good portion of time. The highway department will be removing the shrubs uh around that transformer and then after the new one goes in, they will replace the shrubs. Yep. Um they essentially will be looking tomorrow and bringing in the Fridays
after so that they are oh they're going to be the same the same trucks. Yes. Yes. The same trucks they'll be saved. That's good. That's the intention. Uh do we have any items not anticipated? All right. I would entertain a motion to
do next meeting on June 21st. Yep. Yes, please. I move that we second. All those in favor?