[Speaker 3] (0:07 - 1:14)
All right. Thank you Good evening, everybody. Welcome to the April 3rd 2024 select board meeting.

This meeting is being recorded. Please rise and join me in the pledge. I Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all Thank you We will skip over the town administrator's report Okay, stand by Again all right, we will proceed Sean we're gonna we're gonna kick your town administrator's report till later in the meeting.

We are gonna open with public comment

[Speaker 13] (1:26 - 2:16)
Hey, I'm Art Friedman 82 millet road I've been here before but I just wanted to remind the board about the poverty using the opera funds for helping to mitigate the effluent into a Fisherman's Beach, I know you're going to discuss alpha funds this evening And I appreciate if you consider a chunk of that money going towards starting this remediation effort and also I was at the Board of Health meeting last week week before and there was discussion of using testing within the town rather than Sending it out. There's a special machine out there by IDEX Detective system and I think the boards of some boards are discussing I'd like to encourage the board selectmen to consider that Purchasing the machine suite new testing here much more frequently.

It actually cheaper. Thank you. Thank you

[Speaker 12] (2:27 - 5:01)
Andrea or more precinct 3 I also Noticed that the ARPA funds are on the agenda for this evening and it's been a few months since we have talked about them And I know that there are we've talked about them a lot and how there are a lot of different projects that this town would like to see forward, but my Encouragement to the board this evening is to consider what our obligations in our town are and the promises that we have made Versus the nice to have things that would be great to have is icing on the cake. We need to build the cake first When we entered into the consent decree for those of us who are not familiar It was effectively a promise that we made as a town It's something that our Board of Selectmen in that year in 2015 agreed to and signed on the dotted line and I have that document in my hand this evening. I Take integrity incredibly seriously.

I take promises incredibly seriously Things like that keep me awake at night, and I wish that it would keep this board awake at night, too If we do not fulfill our promises Which we have not been and that's why the EPA is saying that we need to move more aggressively It says something about this board and it says something about this town And I really really would like you to consider as you begin to consider The different items that you may be suggesting and I'm just making in you know, I'm just guessing here, right? I'm guessing it's not just going to be fishermen speech. That's on the on your minds and on the agenda For that but I would encourage you to do a test for yourself and ask yourself is this an obligation that we have or is it a nice to have that we have because as far as I'm aware of we only have One obligation that we made one promise that we made and we made that to the EPA and we signed on the dotted line So, please consider that a couple of other things in this report that it talks about or we're acting good and we were acting in good faith when we Signed this document almost ten years ago. I don't believe that we're acting in good faith anymore We were doing things in the public interest and I don't believe that we're doing that anymore unless we contribute a significant amount of funding Expeditiously to be able to fix Fisherman's Beach and we use that word expeditiously in here many many times We have not been acting expeditiously But we have an opportunity to do that this evening and I would really encourage this board to do that and to make good on the Promise that we made to the EPA and to this town. Thank you Thank you.

[Speaker 10] (5:09 - 8:16)
Hi everybody Rachel Taradash. I live at 71 Middlesex Ave I'm Recently joined the board of Big Blue Bargains and I'm here to talk to you tonight about Big Blue Bargains So if you don't know what it is, it is a local thrift store that was started in 2012 by a group of motivated parents who saw a need to supplement the funds for cultural enrichment in our public schools so they Organized opened a thrift store funded entirely by community donations and staffed entirely by community volunteers They ran out of the Swampscott Middle School.

They had a location there up until COVID. COVID happened everything locked down things changed Last summer we started working with the board and we were at Sorry at the farmers markets We did the Time Wipe yard sale and with the help of some of the board members here We connected with Charlie Patsios who very generously donated At no charge a space for us to open temporarily our time there has run out at the end of this month So we are looking for our new home The physical having a physical so we opened in September of 2023 So everything I'm about to talk about has happened since September of 2023 Having a physical location has allowed us to contribute to the Swampscott community in the following ways We partner with the Swampscott High School life skills program.

They're in there weekly to assist with every aspect of running the store We create a community where we have volunteers from high school students all the way through seniors And if any of you have been there, you'll likely see our very young children running around there as well So it's it's been a community of kind of all ages there We've contributed to the following community causes the Polar Plunge Andrew Keeter scholarship fund friends of the Swampscott Senior Center and veterans in Novak Swampscott Elementary School holiday fairs the friends of the Swampscott Public Library We've contributed costumes for the rec department's costume sale the jar on foundation Peter Cipriano's coat mission Eyeglasses for the Lions Club Swampscott High School Unified Sports Team the Swampscott Middle School book fair the high school drama department The Swampscott High School, Washington DC trip and are planning or contributing to the upcoming Swampscott Elementary School Field day, so I'm here to ask for your help in finding our new location We're confident that as a community we can work together to find Big Blue Bargain our next home It doesn't have to be forever. We need our next space If you have ideas suggestions or leads you can reach out to us on Facebook or Instagram Or if you want to volunteer and I'd also encourage all of you to stop by we have a lovely 50% off moving sale happening right now So we're at 491 Humphrey, and we'd love to see you till the end of the month at that location We'll probably work with anything We can downsize we can get bigger We we look forward to being flexible and making anything that could work for us work, so thank you.

[Speaker 18] (8:16 - 8:17)
Thank you Rachel

[Speaker 3] (8:24 - 8:29)
We have a hand on teams Eric Schneider welcome Eric

[Speaker 14] (8:40 - 11:13)
There can you hear me yes, we can Hi, Eric Schneider 480 Puritan Road town meeting member a member of the Finance Committee But I'm speaking my own behalf tonight As the board is well aware This town is trying to turn a corner We have maintained this fiscal discipline our budget though tight Seems to be in control as in we're not relying on free cash or overrides like other towns to balance our budget but we still have a lot of work to do after decades of neglect our infrastructure needs significant investment and I know you're all familiar with all the issues, but you know ultimately what is a beach town and we can't use the beaches But leaving all that said what I'm here tonight to talk about is some ideas for additional revenue and that is You know in many towns that have nonprofits or other you know large institutions they receive payments in lieu of taxes We have you know religious institutions other nonprofits that don't pay any taxes in town The question is have we approached any of them for payments in lieu of taxes?

recently Boston Imposed a new stormwater charge as part of their water bill So the way I understand it is that depending on how much Pavement you have on your property you assess the charge for the stormwater That could go to fund additional infrastructure relating to sewage As far as I understand there's federal grants available through our senators senator Markey and Warren. I believe I sent you Some materials on that there's an April 5th deadline for the 2025 appropriations And In addition, there's also the thought of imposing a transfer tax on real estate transfers the idea behind that would be The neglect of our infrastructure, you know resulted in cost savings and lower taxes When the you know when that should have been invested and this is just recouping those costs at a time of a sale That's it.

[Speaker 3] (11:13 - 11:41)
Thank you Thank you, Eric All right, seeing no additional hands in the room or on teams. We'll move on We're gonna move on and we're gonna have a discussion of a presentation of the 2024 Swampscott Beach sticker design One of my favorite meetings of the year and I'll kick it off to to mr. Spellios

[Speaker 1] (11:45 - 17:06)
Thanks, David It's also one of my favorite just because So you guys have all seen this presentation before if you've had the opportunity to see these meetings and this is our fifth year I believe that we have changed next slides find Diane We've changed from what was the historical very beautiful Badge of honor quite literally that the only thing that changed was the the date and the color every year I've told this story many times, but I'm going to tell it again because it still rings true There is a lot that I enjoy about what I get to do There's a lot that I really don't enjoy about what I look at to do.

But one of the things is Frankly just continuing to see and it's not only in way because I go to Boston but I'm the Lin way you passing all these cars and you see the cars with no longer just shields of Swampscott train parking beach parking but Artwork, which is done by by residents done by teachers honoring our community Next slide Diane This was the very first in 2019 So I guess is it by Lisa Harris at Swampscott Middle School?

until this year every beach sticker was done by a then current art teacher in one of the Public schools who donated their time in their effort To be able to do it next slide Taylor Byrne I did the 2020 which again this one is actually Again we have the original artwork as well. It's really neat to see some of these original artworks and Person you really see the methodology and how they created the imagery next one Rachel Eisenberg in 21 next Ryan Townsend in 22 and Last year, it was Heather and Peter's from Swampscott High School our teacher for for 23 This year we did something a little different And I can't take credit for the idea and I'm going to give credit the idea to a group of women in a minute Who had the idea, but you can go to the next slide This year's sticker was done by the Michon elementary school students Which is sounds wonderful. If you know the school closed in 2007 So, how did we get the elementary school students from Michon to do a sticker?

well, when that highly excuse me when Michon elementary school closed in 2007 a lot of artwork was taken from the building and Murals were taken from the buildings and and student artwork and class artwork was taken And we still have them as a town and we kept them And as we were about to now transition other elementary schools into a brand new 21st century absolutely amazing elementary school It seemed appropriate for us to look back to the first elementary school that really started this transition for the town of Swampscott To to this new amazing elementary school that that everyone's children are going to be able to enjoy Next slide, please So when everybody gets the sticker this year, they're also going to get something that's going to describe a little bit about the sticker In September 2024 Swampscott will open its doors to a new elementary school for all of Swampscott's elementary school children The closure of the Michon elementary school in 2007 was the initial catalyst for the development of a unified elementary school plan that resulted in this New state-of-the-art energy efficient and forward-thinking elementary school this year sticker sticker pays homage to the closure of all four of our elementary Schools and the opening of the new elementary school The sticker is taken from a community paper collage project done by students at the Michon school prior to its closure. I 2007 from Michon that made you the class of 2014 from Swampscott High School, which seems so long ago And so next slide, please These three women are the ones who deserve the credit for the idea and helping making it a reality Ingrid Hale Hannah Sharpless Graff and Suzanne Wright worked together and had the idea and brought it to life for us.

So very grateful For for their effort in doing this and then last but not least I Am ready The Swampscott 2024 sticker is a portion of that collage a maritime themed collage with orange turtles and orange fishes I don't know if it's a native species or not, but it has been here at least since 2007. So it seems pretty native Really awesome artwork that's going to adorn everyone's cars and and again it's something that I genuinely enjoy when I have to go to work to be able to pass people who have these stickers on their cars and Display something more about Swampscott than just a name and a badge It really talks a little bit more about how we all feel about our community. So Daniel Strauss the Director did want me to let people know that those stickers will not be available until the end of this month So while we're announcing it now They're currently in the process of being printed and then that will be available online like in past years for people to Purchase and it'll be mailed to people's homes Thanks

[Speaker 4] (17:25 - 18:05)
But anyways Although the beach this beach sticker is symbolic of the closure of the elementary school It's also the last speech sticker that Peter gets to do us and this was his brainchild, right?

He Saw a car somewhere and said why aren't we doing that? And then he made it happen so I just want to thank Peter especially for bringing this idea to us and executing it year after year after year and I know it's one of his favorite things to do But we don't say thank you enough Sometimes for these types of ideas and so I just want to make sure that we're saying

[Speaker 3] (18:13 - 18:47)
Anything else, all right Thank You Peter we'll move on To Another Incredible discussion item an emerging vision for the Hawthorne property. I know this has been a long time coming so many meetings with with the select board over the course of many years just to get to a position where we can where we could acquire the Hawthorne property and I Really want to kick it off to you Sean to get the presentation Great.

[Speaker 2] (18:47 - 20:46)
Thank you, David really, this is a This is a an extraordinary moment in time, you know just a few years ago, you know, we met and began the process of really thinking about how to acquire this property and much to the Extraordinary efforts of this board, but also vote of town meeting. We were able to Acquire one of the most gorgeous pieces of property that we have frankly in in the Commonwealth But certainly in the town and so tonight we're gonna share a few updates and go over a preliminary concept this update really will help us untap the Biggest ideas we have been able to pull together for the redevelopment of this property I would just want to thank our team, you know, we have had our assistant town administrator and planning director Pete Kane Working on this our director of community and economic development Marsy Golaska who will join me for this presentation and Natalie Bova from HDR and Mike McPhee from HDR will also be online, but Certainly, this is an exciting Juncture, so next slide Here's the overview of what we'll be talking about essentially this is Where we've been where we are and where we're going we want to share some information about the process that we've used thus far talk a little bit about some of the information that we've gathered the community engagement and really share with the board This preliminary concept and really have a dialogue about where we are going to be going So with that, I'll transition this over to Margie and she will step us through The process so far

[Speaker 8] (20:46 - 22:50)
Excellent. Good evening. It's a pleasure to be here today.

Diane could we advance to the first slide, please? So as Sean had mentioned we have undergone a very public participatory process For the redevelopment of this parcel the project today including hiring HDR As Sean has stated who is a world-class planning and design firm. We held community meetings We conducted community surveys and our consultant HDR has used his data And our planning documents that included our open space master plan a harbour and waterfront planned To develop our preliminary concept that we are pleased to share with you today On the slide you can see some of the timelines that we had met for this project next, please The Data and feedback that we have received for this project included Results survey results from the by the community was really clear We had heard from the community that the priorities included to have To maintain open space for public enjoyment and access to the waterfront views were very important The goal to create a year-round destination to seek opportunities to generate revenue for the town surprisingly We are pleased to I should say we are pleased Pleasantly surprised that off-street parking was not a priority that we had heard as part of the feedback The concept started to take shape by analyzing the data and listen to the community Looking at the world cloud on the left-hand side of the slide.

You can see how residents Prioritize most of the important uses and values when you look at the the word cloud You really see certain words really jumping at you such as open space park Outdoor opportunities and obviously views location waterfront things that are important to the community And now Sean will share with you some of the key findings and for the recommendations

[Speaker 2] (22:53 - 25:23)
Thank You Margie so those word clouds really Helped us pull together all of the comments from the community engagement efforts We had over 400 people show up, you know one weekend to share their ideas about this Incredible property so we really, you know have boiled this down into some some key findings So the design of the site, you know We wanted to design a a park that really people would be excited about Wanted to have a site that celebrated this wonderful sense of place waterfront experience that is known over generations to Swampskate families and friends and visitors we wanted to have a Anchor that really tied the community together This is the historic area where Olmsted actually designed the roads one of the country's greatest landscape architects So to have this culminate in a presentation right on the waterfront was really important We also wanted to enhance Accessibility and that accessibility is not just so that everybody can go there But we wanted to make sure that it was gonna be 12 months out of the year Not just the warm months. We wanted to have it be accessible from a bunch of different vantage points have the broader Uses that we heard some folks had big ideas Some people wanted minimal ideas and and we wanted to make this site really speak to that accessibility and we all also Wanted to make sure that we are fiscally responsible.

We often have kind of talked about our fiscal responsibility The work we've done over the last few years has really put the town in a position to to really balance a lot of these broader Responsibilities, but this project will help us ensure that 50% of this area will be preserved as green space Design and building will be part of the landscape and a program will be established for year-round use and and really help balance, you know the need for a vibrant Humphrey Street, but also Those special community events and art and culture and all the things that I think Folks would want to see as we kind of think about the quality of life for current and future generations So next slide Diane Marzi is going to take it back here and talk a little bit about our Fantastic planners and team from HCR.

[Speaker 8] (25:24 - 27:10)
Absolutely. Thank you. Sean as you as you just heard from Sean we have established with the assistance of our community some really lofty goals Sean had just talked about some of the Recommendations and and and keys that the community really wanted to see on the site So you can really see how do we balance that?

How do we? use the design or really utilize the experts in the field to really narrow down the the scope and all of the The goals and the recommendations into a cohesive plan for the redevelopment of the site So our team from HCR was fairly analytical about the process They really used the data That was gathered through the public process from the surveys that we have held from the two public meetings that we held To really render a concept and design options that we can have these concepts that you see on the on the board really kind of highlight or Drive the the process.

How do we derived at the draft concepts that we will have in front of us? And this really looks at these drawings showcase the progression of the design You can really see that by pushing down some of the access to the shoreline and pulling up the structures That would really create additional views have better street presence that really create a landscape or create a project that would draw people into the site and really create a range of activities and functions on next slide if we could these concept drawings really Align or created a shell shared gold goal of creating a beautiful landscape that will really Appeal to everybody and will be utilized by the entire community

[Speaker 2] (27:11 - 36:01)
Thank You Margie. So when you look at these Renderings you kind of see the challenge for the planners and the architects. They looked at different Levels and trying to figure out how do we Balance those needs some folks wanted to see the Boston skyline some folks wanted to look at the ocean and really integrate all of those Ideas into a concept and so when we flip to the next side you're going to see how all of these ideas get programmed into a space that We're presenting tonight So next slide so look at Swampskin look at The green space imagine yourself walking along that Wall and in taking it all in looking at The ocean looking at the red rocks below those red rocks are the namesake of this town and a Native American language We are the town of the Red Rocks and those rocks below represent who we are that building there is Programmatic space its place. It's a place where we can enjoy for 12 months out of the year it it has uses that Can support the arts and culture and performance and really speak to the Needs that that we hear about and Our master plan and our harbor and waterfront plan and all of the open space plans We're looking to balance all of those important ideas So what else Could we do that would help really support a town need and really help Ensure that that property really would support the broader vision So next slide So it's a library so this is a Rendering of the Swampskin Public Library, I'm actually Pleased to recognize Jonathan Nichols our library director here tonight I've had to Share a few thoughts with Jonathan, but we wanted to hold it for tonight.

But this is a 21st century library and so folks are thinking, you know why a library and we think about a 21st century library we're talking about a place in the information age that can help Support all of these incredible Opportunities Nothing is more multi-generational than a library. Nothing really speaks to So many of the important cultural and community Programs in the information age like a library. We know that we have a wonderful library in Swampskin But you know, it was built in 1917 and it has needs and I've met with our library board of trustees and in our library director and we've talked about our needs and sure we're gonna address those needs in the current facility, but you know to really envision a 21st century library that has a Great room that really can support a gathering of town officials and have meetings Perhaps not at the back of a building but at the front of you know, a really iconic property you know a property that can support a cafe along Humphrey Street that can help bring in revenue a property that can have a catering kitchen that can support a use of the facility by a broader group of Individuals a large reading room facing the ocean that be that could be converted at night to weekends for public and private events weddings bar mitzvahs and other celebrations It will also bring in revenue. These are all extraordinary opportunities that Swampskin deserves we deserve it because we work hard we manage our fiduciary Responsibilities carefully we look at a lot of the important responsibilities that we have to each generation and Our existing library Also, you know has library programs that can help fund new construction We have all sorts of groups that we can work with to help define that vision Next slide So what is the process from here and so we're gonna continue to Meet we're going to continue to work on this Preliminary concept we've spent a lot of time over the last two years Getting community feedback and having forums and really working through a tremendous amount of data At this point, you know, we're looking to the next six years and looking to really figure out how to Identify short and long-term uses of the site And then identify funding sources There are a lot of extraordinary Individuals that have helped work to bring this Project to this phase, but we're here tonight to really Bring this to the select board and really get your thoughts on on next steps. So next slide So here's a vision of the existing site many of us have Celebrated holidays there.

It's a beautiful Like site It has sat there since 1957 and You know, there's been many many Events Boston Bruins celebrated a Stanley Cup there. There's been lots of moments Next line, here's a vision for the future and all those wonderful moments all those extraordinary Moments in time and a very special place Swampskate indeed is Fortunate To be in this position. I would say Just a few years ago would be inconceivable that we could We could have such a extraordinary vision for how we Define our potential We're working right now with a extraordinary Firm to turn the Hadley school into a hotel boutique hotel.

I mean we think about how the synergies will all come together It really defines a an extraordinary Potential next slide This point I'm happy to answer any questions and Turn it over to the board.

[Speaker 3] (36:01 - 36:26)
Yeah, so we do want to kick it off to the board have the board ask questions make comments Initial feedback and then there'll be time for for the public to to raise their hand and and to speak as well I Before I speak I would like to hear anyone else from the public that needs to speak.

[Speaker 4] (36:26 - 36:50)
That's just my personal preference Yes, and so I think so I think that what's helpful tonight maybe is if we can just ask questions to get clarity on things I don't think you need to state opinions and things.

[Speaker 1] (36:50 - 37:23)
I thought I Said we talked earlier Sean So I'm just I think you omitted one thing which was we talked about the fact that later this month or early next month There's going to be a public forum. I Just in fairness to people that none of us really have much to react to I mean So I think it's really about flushing details out tonight and maybe Having public comment getting people a chance to absorb this so that when we have the forum later this month because right now it just I I Think would be better if we could ask questions to flush out thoughts and ideas a bit, but that's just my two cents

[Speaker 5] (37:25 - 38:50)
So I have a number of questions a couple things one is I am concerned with the amount of public meetings we had Prior to prior to tonight. So we did purchase a piece of property there were No public meetings prior to that to even discuss or think about buying a piece of property which buying that property I was 110 percent behind I I'm concerned that two meetings. Was that enough to really get the input from the community?

That's one concern. I have the information that we have there. I think I have heard from a a large amount of residents that Finances are a major issue with that piece of property And I want to make sure that we're really clear on that because on one of the slides there it showed that Finances was not that much of a priority and I'm hearing something totally different from the community I'd like to know is this the only idea they had or were there other ideas because you know, it looks like This is the only recommendation I'd like to know did they have anything else and The cost what are we looking at as far as cost?

[Speaker 1] (38:52 - 39:14)
Well, those are those are my those are my questions So I can actually help with some of this and Mary Ellen you and I talked an hour and a half ago and I actually Answered some of those questions. So I'm surprised that you didn't just want to share the answers I've given but I'm happy to state them here. So people well We say things out in public and not behind, you know, I understand I just it sounds like you just you were Sounded like you didn't know the answers as opposed to you do so.

[Speaker 5] (39:14 - 39:15)
Let me just know the cost.

[Speaker 1] (39:15 - 39:16)
Yes Let's let me just share.

[Speaker 5] (39:16 - 39:20)
I think I think I was really clear that there wasn't there isn't enough public comment.

[Speaker 1] (39:20 - 41:34)
Yeah So so I think the things that's exciting and I think we should go back to the slide if you don't mind Go back to the slide on process because I think actually and Katie and I had the opportunity to sit with Sean earlier today So we've actually had an opportunity to to just view the presentation As a dry run ahead of tonight. So what I thought was really important in that is that this is an idea It's an idea. It's an idea for 15,000 residents to react to and I think the important thing about the process here is that Whether that has been one or a hundred meetings to date There's going to be many more to come to give people a chance to comment on ideas.

I think what I heard from a lot of people is The meetings that we did have were difficult because it was hard to grasp any one concept It was hard to feel as though you're responding to any one thing Here are three versions of open space. Which one do you like better? Well, how do I know which one I actually like better?

Do I want a big building a small building? Do I want parking or I don't want parking to want more green space less green space and it becomes very difficult In those environments notwithstanding the fact that so many people came that the boards for months sat in town hall and by the hundreds people voted with their with their stickers quite literally on things and Gave comments and this the survey results have more survey results than any single initiative that we've worked on in the town Since my nine years be hearing her it's still not enough because I don't think there was enough presented for people to say Yep, this is it. Let's do it. We're done instead I think what we have here is The next step an idea it may end up on the editing room floor Right, or it may evolve into a better version of this or it may sit as the Hawthorne restaurant Future boards the town is going to decide that well after I'm gone But I think what's really important here is that this slide says very clearly and I know that you only had a minute to see It so that's why I wanted to put it back up there That this is about getting the feedback and again Sean skipped over it, but Sean just confirmed there is going to be community forum later this

[Speaker 2] (41:35 - 42:26)
Highlighted the community forums because we actually want to get feedback. We want to continue to evolve this Preliminary concept and and really help it reflect the highest and best hopes of the town, but we we did work with a world-renowned Architectural and planning team we've we've had the best of professional assistance to try to pull together a very complicated array of expectations and that's still evolving and and what I want folks to really appreciate is that these things do take a little bit of time, but we're working through this process and and I do think that you know, we're at a junction point where we can pause and and Get some more input and and really, you know answer some questions

[Speaker 1] (42:26 - 48:43)
So let me and I want to now answer the other questions because I think you're asking great questions Which is I'm glad we had a chance to talk about that earlier today This is not cheap.

Nothing goods cheap open spaces and cheap. Well done open spaces and cheap Do you mind stop sharing at this point? and so I think And Sean the conversation this morning.

You were very clear about one of the reasons the library is such an ideal Use to bring here is Because number one it is multi-generational, but but even more important. Let's just talk dollars and cents It is already open and staffed. It's operational.

It's there the doors are open It can support things As opposed to creating something new an infrastructure that the town doesn't have today and probably can't afford to do We have an infrastructure. We have an amazing library staff that Is there in supporting number two the state has a We are such a lucky state to have such a robust library building program akin to the MSBA for schools we Are so lucky so many states do not have anything close to what we have in terms of what we're willing to invest in this And so that matters because that's going to be state dollars But the truth is I and Sean you were pretty candid about this this morning I don't think anything like this happens without public money, and I don't think it in this case I don't think it's probably going to happen without private money I Think the price tag we talked about this morning was in today's dollars about 30 million dollars It is not cheap to do now Sean said this morning, and I said I didn't like the comparison But you know it's a fraction of what we paid for the new school a third But and so I you know I've come to sit with that all day And said no, it's actually not a bad comparison if you think about it. I mean Everything's expensive now, so this is expensive, but everything's expensive now But what to me what would be so that's the price and I think I actually called someone in town who does quite a bit of site work to really understand what this would do and You know so that we understand and feel good about numbers.

There's so much work to be done here And and so is it 30 million dollars is it 40 million dollars is it 20 million dollars? No one knows and no one would know at this point I think 30 million dollars is a good is is a good number to sleep with right now But what the final project is who knows? Who knows what the final project is?

something like this I Would like to just say I did any other questions that you didn't have answered But I kind of want to share my comments Which is I'm just I appreciate this seriousness in which you look at things it Makes me sad that you start the sentence after seeing something less by saying I'm concerned So I'm gonna just say I'm hopeful, so I'm just gonna say I'm hopeful. This is exactly what we need Meaning need hope we need vision. We need ideas.

I don't know what the final idea is gonna be Right, but if we don't that buying the Hawthorne site was audacious Swampscott hadn't spent respectfully to some comments earlier tonight If everybody knows what are the nice-to-haves and the must-haves in community building? I really would like the manual because there is no manual right we did nothing in this community And we had high taxes, and we didn't build community, but recently we've been building community And we've been making people realize that you deserve a hundred million dollar elementary school our kids deserve it Stanley wasn't as nice as you think Hadley isn't as nice as you think we deserved it, and we built community and And we're continuing to do this this may end up being as mundane as Red Rock Park and Lynn a Sidewalk walking around it with a couple of benches, and you can watch people play fetch with their dogs That's what the final vision could be here.

Who knows that's someone besides me is gonna make that decision But you're never gonna get to the vision by starting with talking about the reasons. We shouldn't do something You don't need to talk yourself out of something. That's not a possibility So let's start with the possibility what if we could do this?

What if we could build something that would be the envy of every community and have it be a place That's the most welcoming place a library That whether or not you had kids and wanted to play with them Or you wanted to be outside you could sit in a reading room and look at the ocean and read a book You could come use the computers like you do now in the library, but you're doing in a place I just I just again.

I appreciate we've got to ask all the all the tough questions, and I'm confident We're gonna ask all the right questions and the future board is gonna be but I appreciate that we're starting from a place of hope And I'm glad that you recognize this is gonna be a seven plus year period this is not we bought a once in a hundred year property To do anything quick would be in my view a fundamental mistake because you're not gonna do it right it takes time And so I appreciate your acknowledgement of that and the challenges of doing it slow The last thing I'm just gonna say is I really appreciate an HDR and the team I appreciate the fact that you recognize Yes, revenue is important.

Yes other things are important But you came up with a type of architecture that it functionally allows the insight entire site to still be open space a type of architecture that welcomes People to climb on it to walk over it if you've been to Seattle Olympic Park in Seattle is a great example where that We're trying to say how are we going to get people from downtown to the ocean when you have to cross highways and railroad tracks?

And so what they did They did landform masses over the entire thing you don't even know that there's highways or or or Railroad tracks there you walk it you walk it walk over hills And it made these utilitarian things these things that are not as exciting part of the landscape here And so the idea I don't know how you do it. I'm not an architect the idea though that the top of the building Can be outdoor space and and approachable and accessible. I think finds that right balance So I think it's a great start again others besides me are going to decide the direction from this, but I am I am very happy with the fact that we're starting from the idea of hope and Opportunity and then you know, we're gonna ask the tough questions and there's gonna have to be some realities of things But we're starting from a good place to at least take the next phase of this community process. So thank you to staff in HDR

[Speaker 18] (48:46 - 48:46)
I

[Speaker 4] (48:50 - 54:21)
Don't envy HDRs position here because I attended both of the forums and it was number one very difficult to get an opinion in edgewise and that's sort of why I sit on this board is to have an opinion so To take the community opinion and put it out there, but I found it very difficult in those forums To be number one comfortable enough to say what your personal opinion was because there were really strong personalities almost at every table Who are pushing very? Different ideas and if you went from table to table one was 100% open space.

You couldn't even say any Anyway, otherwise and one was almost exclusively. Where's the revenue? How are we paying for this?

and so when I left there I thought I'm more confused than when I entered the room right because it's very clear that the community wants different things or so I thought well What if we could have it all what if we could what if it's an and not an or what if it's a You know at additive right not subtracting To me I have to agree that I mean we are heavy library users in the field family and my mother-in-law takes my kids there and my husband's always there and he's always on interlibrary loan taking things out and I Mean there's nothing more equalizing than the library. You don't need to have funds. You don't need to it's not classes It's not it's it's so it's like the epitome of equitable, right?

And so what a wonderful beacon for swans got to say like all are welcome here, whether you're from here or not to use the library a public space and Then also putting in a way that we can sustain that public space to be a 21st century 23rd century space by having revenue built into it having a collaboration with our partners across the street to say Okay, so you want to function that's not gonna fit on the Hadley platform. Well community doesn't want Hadley to get any bigger Right.

We don't want screaming raging rooftop parties that Hadley the neighbors don't want it. We want to preserve Linscott Park We don't want to see tents on Linscott Park. We want to see that preserved for what it's meant to be Where else can we go?

So instead of saying no Find it. Let's try to find a new angle. And I think that's what HDR tried to do.

I think they tried to take a lot of what seemed to be Head-butting ideas right coming at it and say, okay, let's flip them on their head and see if we can't put them all together when I first saw it, I thought like how incredible that the building actually Exemplifies the views and then I thought oh now in the winter when you go to that spot Maybe you'll be angled a little bit from that really harsh breeze that comes on the water there So you actually might be able to be outside there during the winter Just some real smart Just some real smart uses of the space that make it a 12-month use outside of the building itself So I'm excited to have this conversation It is a conversation.

We still have a lot of partners to speak to on this I know I've reached out to the Board of Library trustees to have a conversation. We haven't connected yet I'm I hope we'll do that next month to start talking about I also want to mention Sean did mention this but There is no this is a decade-long process, right? So like We can't just sit here and do nothing with that building we have to start pointing in a direction and going somewhere But that doesn't mean we just stop Doing the things we have to do in our library.

That's a municipal building. That's not gonna go anywhere If it's not a library in ten years fantastic, but it's gonna be something that we have to do with that space So wouldn't make sense for us to drop the ball there So, I hope that I know that but just to say it out loud that max and others are Prioritizing the library and making sure that the things that need to get done in library are getting done and then finally, I just I do think that We've highlighted it and we'll say it again. I Think this has been one of the most public processes that we have had always room to improve It's not just a process that happened in two meetings it happened in surveys It happened in my son putting a sticker on the Ferris wheel at Town Hall saying that's what he wanted.

It happens like there were a lot of Other things other than those two meetings that happened to engage the public I hope that all those things will continue to happen so that way you don't have to physically show up someplace and have an opinion in a room where you maybe don't feel welcome or don't feel Like your opinion is the best opinion, but you still want to have it make people comfortable to have their opinions again can be very difficult and in this climate sometimes to raise your hand and have an opinion because you're afraid of the backlash and it's been great that we've done other things like surveys and At Town Hall, which are a little bit more Hold a little bit more anonymity so that people can have feelings without being vulnerable and So, I hope we continue to do that and not just have public meetings, but also invite folks Who are a little less comfortable than maybe the five of us To continue to have feedback

[Speaker 18] (54:23 - 54:24)
Thanks, Katie

[Speaker 6] (54:30 - 54:37)
No, no, I really I want to hear other people's feedback now or later first

[Speaker 3] (54:38 - 59:34)
All right. Well, I'm happy to Give my feedback And certainly there's gonna be time for the board to provide additional feedback based upon community Comments. This is this is the start of the process You know, I've traveled all around the country and libraries are truly the heartbeat of so many towns I've worked in publishing for Probably seven years and I've gone around and I've visited Hundreds of libraries all across the country and they are the heartbeat of towns in a soul and I think that anything that we can do to help support our public library is It's something that we should be doing.

It's an investment It's investment in our in our in our current and it's an investment in our future And it's an investment in literacy and education and there's so many positives around libraries I love the landform architecture. I love it I think it I think it really fits in nicely just this this initial concept really fits in nicely From the street. So as you're walking along Humphrey Street, you know it the building doesn't seem large and out of place because it is dug into The ground which I really like and I like the ability, you know, the playfulness With the with the design concept where you can go on the roof I know my kids Would certainly enjoy that.

So will so many children of today and and future generations Can enjoy this? The town's making a considerable investment. I mean, it's looking at investing in much-needed Infrastructure we haven't we haven't done this.

We haven't made these types of Transformative investments, you know when we met You know at the Hawthorne restaurant and had that initial kickoff What a year and a half ago now? I mean, this is a this is a plan. This is a project This is something that we're looking at for the next 50 to 100 years.

I mean this is Truly what it is that we should be doing we should be having and taking these big hairy audacious goals and ideas and visions And bringing them Bringing them to the public we do deserve it. We do deserve nice things. We can have nice things We can do it You know, but also this is something that's going to be so positive from a business development And at a community development perspective, you know, our businesses on Humphrey Street Need this this is going to bring much-needed foot traffic To that Humphrey Street corner to our little restaurant row that is certainly, you know thriving, you know post Post Cove it, you know, we have outdoor dining, you know Now we need to bring additional foot traffic additional folks from around town and from the region On to Humphrey Street to help, you know, we realize and and enjoy, you know, everything that our town has to offer You know, this concept is going to be revenue generating You know If you're if there's if there's the ability to play the new hotel the new Delamar Hotel with a potential event space That allows us to not only have meetings In a in a nice area, but also to have you know, weddings or other special events That's going to be a significant revenue driver for the town of Swampskate Just to walk into Just just as a matter of reference to walk into the Boston Public Library and have an event is something along the lines of $30,000 I don't know if we'll be able to to get 30 grand in in little old Swampskate But it could be a substantial sum of money. That's not why we're doing it But it is certainly a component in something and something that should be considered as we move forward But most importantly I think this keeps the promise That that this board made and that was discussed when we acquired this property and we you know, we had you know, numerous conversations, but we looked at Really having that open space having that green space having those native plannings and really and really doing something That was that was extraordinary And I think you know when I when I was at these, you know, these these numerous events You know, I would like Katie it was it was certainly overwhelming You'd have one person saying, you know Revenue revenue revenue and another person saying no revenue another person saying buildings buildings and another person saying open space and I do think that This vision does help Us really have have it all and is and is certainly the start of the process and not the end Thanks, mr.

[Speaker 1] (59:35 - 1:01:52)
Chairman, can I just want you remind me you mentioned Delamar and just for those that don't know it by name Delamar is the the hotel group which is Is doing the the boutique hotel at Hadley school? We have Katie myself And Pete Kane and I think that's it from staff. We have weekly calls with Delamar just to advance the process They're starting their due diligence during April vacation while the kids are out of the school So they can go in the school went in a safe place and do physical due diligence they are There's legal documents, etc.

So we have weekly calls just like anybody would just to do status things. It wasn't until this morning That we actually Pete Kane actually shared with Delamar for the first time this plan So so while there are synergies I also want people to know that you know, what's happening at the Hadley's actually really independent from this and and I'm sorry. I said this morning yesterday morning was the conversation with with Delamar We asked to get back on a call today with them 24 hours later to let them sit with it for 24 hours just to come Back to us and say hey, like is there anything like did we just step on your toes of what you want to do?

Did we do something good? Are we on a path and and nothing's perfect? I mean, but I do want to end Charles Mallory is the is the head of Delamar And it's the one that addressed the town select board meeting that night, but but he was effusive and he My read of it was that he was more concerned that he would be underwhelmed by what we did And that he would say, huh?

okay, and He's he's quite the opposite I think that's important just to note because I think we need to find the synergy with everybody not just Delamar We need to find the synergy with the other Residents and businesses on Humphrey Street, but I did want to share that we did have that conversation With Delamar and we did have a follow-up conversation today and they came back effusive And and happy to roll up their sleeves and partake of it They know it's a community process just like their hotel is a community process So that was just a conversation I wanted to make sure people know that we we did connect with them this week to update them as well And I'm sure they're they're now a stakeholder as well.

[Speaker 3] (1:01:52 - 1:02:02)
So they'll partake in future conversations with everyone Thanks, Peter Anything additional from the board before we open it up?

[Speaker 4] (1:02:05 - 1:02:15)
Can we just make sure when the community next community forum goes out that we give flyers to Humphrey Street businesses in case Absolutely.

[Speaker 19] (1:02:15 - 1:02:16)
Yep

[Speaker 3] (1:02:18 - 1:02:21)
Great we had a hand on teams

[Speaker 16] (1:02:34 - 1:04:03)
Hey Aaron, this is Aaron My initial feedback is that this is a wonderful idea and for three particular reasons One it connects the fabric of the Humphrey Street, which I think is a wonderful thing to do It's currently marred by empty parking lots most of the time, which is not very slightly To libraries of our great knowledge centers, and we need a lot of knowledge and education overlooking Kings Beach Which would be a great time to get some education about what's happened in trees how we're fixing it Move them all across this forward, but three I think the interesting opportunity this opens up is that we could have potentially public housing in the current library building So we could maintain the historic nature of that building and convert it into public house Well, it's a wonderful opportunity needed opportunity for slums guy the only Suggestion I would have is that just from my personal tastes I would love if the library this new library could have a coffee shop inside of it's not quite a revenue-generating opportunity, but wonderful fun to have But anyway wonderful and Excited to see what happens out of this.

Thank you.

[Speaker 18] (1:04:03 - 1:04:03)
Thanks Aaron.

[Speaker 9] (1:04:14 - 1:07:57)
Hi everyone. Thanks so much for the presentation Sierra Munoz 65 Fuller Avenue Town meeting member member of Open Space and Recreation Committee Conservancy Swamp Sky Conservancy vice president also, I'm the daughter of a librarian and I'm the daughter-in-law of a librarian also So I better watch What I say about no, and I I think we have an amazing Library service in town. I was able to connect with the library director last year actually to support the The maker space idea in the new teen space in my role as an environmental educator so that's really neat and I just I think I Really appreciate the the gravity of these discussions and the number of stakeholders and ideas and and Urgencies that people bring at all at all of those discussions and in the surveys there are such disparate visions for what this space could be so I Appreciate, you know the challenge there and I I think this is a really exciting Conversation and an idea to start thinking about I just would would urge us to keep in mind that open space is open space is not the same as green space or nature space or even Inviting recreation space and I just want us to be as thoughtful with the green infrastructure on this site as with the built infrastructure, it can become a An afterthought in a lot of projects unfortunately, you know gets cut from the budget, you know, I think So I just want to really reinforce that, you know It's not enough to put down sod and some trees and we are actually really fortunate in town to have a lot of local Expertise on you know, what can make something really green really accessible and really coastally resilient, right? a lot of a lot of those so, you know just really if there is that built infrastructure on the space to urge us to create something that honors the Connection to nature and to the ocean that was reflected in the new beach sticker that you just shared which is so so great you know, I would even it if there's going to be a built structure, let's shoot for it being lead certifiable and Really cohesive environmentally to be to be proud of it if that's the direction that this goes and again, I think this as you know Peter stated there's obviously a long way to go and it is nice to have a Concrete idea for people to chew on and push back on and maybe that won't be it at all And maybe it will end up being primarily more open space. But but if there's built space We need to be proud of that from an environmental perspective. And then the other piece is Consider I know there's a lot of concern about revenue generating Use in that space, but there's a lot of community entities that contribute to our town in ways beyond direct revenue big blue bargains As one great example, you know maker space art spaces gathering spaces for community groups that bring a lot to the table outside of Revenue direct revenue.

So just making sure that any future space Or infrastructure here is inviting and not restricted to those who can Who can pay so?

[Speaker 13] (1:07:57 - 1:09:30)
There was something that was not addressed Sir, sir name Arthur Friedman. There was something that wasn't addressed You had the open space you had the building and then the parking issue was kind of down here but in reality you're looking at an area where parking is at a minimum and Is parking to the left where the church parking is now or is there a space considered for that? Are we talking street parking number one number two?

Is this building really big enough to do all what you're saying? I mean, there's a lot of stuff a lot of things that are getting Put forth to be used in the building, you know wedding spaces up spaces The libraries are going to be big enough. It's a two-story.

There's a one story says something was below the ground I don't know quite what you meant But library needs a lot of space if you're going to have function rooms for children or families That requires space and also if you're going to have something else in there with you know I don't know. It doesn't it the size doesn't quite go with what you're saying And also the parking will they'll be open space Excuse me. I like the green area.

That's a lovely area there It's hard to my favorite and I think we need to maybe more planning to do or right bring up more What you mean by putting all this in that building, you know, it's a lot Thank you, can I just answer the just take a stab at so I think all great questions I hope that you come to that forum Really really great.

[Speaker 1] (1:09:30 - 1:10:32)
It's I don't think we have a date, but you'll you'll Hear about it To do it. I would say this a couple of things great questions, which is why as I said earlier This is and I think you say it's earlier It's early right and this is an idea an idea that then has to be refined and refined and refined and some of your things May prove out to be issues some may be opportunities. So I think they're really really good questions on parking I just want to keep coming down to it The town has an agreement in place that allows the town to use the st John parking lot on Humphrey Street during non church hours.

It is the best-kept secret still five months later That's right, and I don't for the life of me cannot understand why we've kept this. It's not really a secret It's just that we haven't for some reason put a sign up. We haven't told residents It is free off-street parking Except during church services, and so I just I just want to I'm using your questions and just an opportunity to reiterate this because no one seems To know and I don't know why we are being so Quiet about it.

[Speaker 2] (1:10:32 - 1:11:30)
We will change that a parking lot that no one uses is the same as having no parking lot Understood we will make sure we get a robust press release out tomorrow about that I really do appreciate those concerns as well. We We did work with our architectural team This site is an acre and a half and if you kind of get a perspective of our existing libraries Features, this is a big piece of property. And so we you know, the rendering actually shows quite a big, you know building and certainly I think as we continue to you know present and talk about this and really get some feedback from From the library director and the library board I think they can talk with us about the space needs for a 21st century library, but we feel pretty confident given the Team that we've pulled together that what we're talking about will be Achievable within the concept that we've presented

[Speaker 4] (1:11:30 - 1:13:16)
I think to the other thing we talked about when we spoke about the Hadley concepts and and some of those folks came forward and gave Architectural mock-ups and Answered the RFP that the recipient that we actually ended up choosing gave the least detailed Vision because They said the same thing that I think we're trying to reiterate here Which is this is not just us coming in here and telling you what you need to put in this space It's a community discussion, right? Like this is a marriage for a very long time We want to make sure we see the things that are important are reflected in our vision We just don't want to throw our vision down your throat I think that's the same Idea that HDR was trying to convey here Which was here's a concept something tangible enough to have real feedback on ask real questions on but not so much that people think it's a done deal and I don't need to have an opinion because they've already figured it out and My opinion doesn't matter anymore.

So it's like trying to strike that delicate balance between Promoting the conversation having the holes poked in the idea but not Turning people away, right? And so I think If some of the ideas we brought forward don't end up in the library Wasn't meant to be if it doesn't become a library. It wasn't meant to be if it doesn't like But inviting people to have opinions on a tangible idea is a lot easier And I think some of the other Multiple versions of the same idea and what's better and so just just my thought about it.

I think Lots of opportunity for additional feedback for sure.

[Speaker 7] (1:13:16 - 1:17:44)
Thanks, Katie Hello, my name is Louis Chisoula Farragut Road. How's everybody doing? Not that I say I don't want to be taken as a negative.

It's just perspective You a beautiful building loved it, I guess there's a lot of questions that just go with that picture because I attended a meeting at the school and when we talked about it was Three designs that were popped up in it before we did the breakout a lot of them You know It was a mix between half green In a building kind of I think the building was kind of on the corner. We talked about a trellis in front With this, I guess I guess I would ask that if the idea that we're going with is is a Possibility of a library and I know Sean you mentioned a bunch of different things like activation inside the library I guess the biggest thing is if that is going to be a thought could we also get a Sketch of what the inside will look like because if we're being sold if we're trying to being sold on a Library with activation inside for all the things that were mentioned To be able to you know sell that I Would want to see the inside and what the thought process inside because you know, we could say all these different things But then you see a first floor How the heck do you turn a library into Into a wedding venue that's big enough, you know that you would want someone to come there So I guess if if you want to sell us on a library There should be a rendering on the inside so that we could see that and then put the two together and maybe you know Go go forward with that and then we could speak on how to make it an activation space That's the first question second would be Is there opportunity for?

For like I know it's a library Thought of it. It's a library. But I mean, is there an opportunity to Do an event a space that could be multiple things not just a full stretch library, but in the area where you know We mentioned yoga studios.

We mentioned all these different community room for kids, you know stuff different things I Mean, you know if you just do a library, we know how a library is could be quiet all these different things, you know And it looks like it's only one floor just by just by the way And then we also I know at that meeting we also talked about activation outside of a building Because initially the building was smaller.

There was be the green, you know the grass, but we talked about you know Possibly being an area where maybe the town will rent out, you know corn corn cornhole boards Maybe the outdoor fire pits, you know that are already pre-built so that people could go and enjoy that You know Which would offer offer an opportunity where the town could have their own coffee shop for people to get a hot chocolate and go, you know Something like that where it could all be meshed together. So And then I Guess what another whatever the rendering is, you know when you get to the top floor of the of the building Whatever the building will be, you know, it could be smaller bigger Could it be something up there as well, you know? I mean, I don't want to say a bar because you know, it was crazy with a bar But still I'm just saying, you know, if you go up there, you know, and you and and someone could enjoy a Mom can enjoy a mimosa.

Well, you know, the kids are reading a book or something. So I'm just saying, you know It It's a it's a it's a group like that's a great opportunity to you know overlook I mean that that's part of the reason why a lot of people go to mission on the bay, you know Whether they decided the foods good or not. They love the rooftop because they get to hang out there, you know So I guess I'm just asking for I think we need more detail and I know this discussions gonna be open But especially if we're proposing a building we need to see a rendering on the inside Just so that we can work on, you know building something fun for everybody to use Not just a quiet space Totally agree.

[Speaker 2] (1:17:45 - 1:18:32)
I think you know it this has to work in a little bit of a phase because you don't want to hear me or anybody that isn't a library director or Really working in the library talk about the space needs for a library those are the that's the next if this idea actually resonates with Folks and it really makes sense. We can then kind of move forward and say, all right let's talk about the space needs for the place and On a personal I love all of the ideas that you're talking about, too I want everybody to feel like show up share absolutely your highest and best expectations for how this site can actually continue to Make sense for The town yeah

[Speaker 4] (1:18:32 - 1:19:51)
I also just want to say like this is gets to be our version of a library if you go to our library right now The bottom floor is rarely quiet The children's room is down there, but the teen space is also down there.

So and yes, it's definitely quiet upstairs but the bottom floor is very active and There's you know some running around much the librarians dismay But this gets to be our vision the entire community's vision so if you guys want yoga space and enough people want it then Try to figure out how we do that So I think again, that's why it's important that we didn't just create a rendering Yes, I understand like it makes it something tangible for you to have feedback on but I think like maybe having the community forum first to find out what some of those key needs are and then having conversations with the library and the Board of Trustees to understand how our current space doesn't work The programming that they want to do that they can't do because they don't have the space Even our rec departments and working out of reach arts, but it could be doing a lot of programming in a space like this So it's sort of pulling from all of these different places to really put together a list and then going back to HDR and saying Or another architect and saying hey, these are all the wants. These are all the needs Could what what's the best sort of feeling on all of them?

[Speaker 7] (1:19:51 - 1:20:14)
Yeah, and I agree and I like I said Just as long as whatever the input is going forward, you know, if it's just a library or whatnot, whatever that building is just Before we before we come to a completion and agreement that we get that rendering inside for all ideas and apart We'll see how it looks but and then I think it'll be great So I have two thoughts.

[Speaker 1] (1:20:14 - 1:22:31)
First of all, I just have two thoughts I want and I'm gonna use it as a good example You started by saying I don't want people to hear this as negative and I want to let you know that I don't hear anything You said it's negative as a matter of fact to me It's proof of you're responding to something specific saying I want more to know about this this and this to evolve it and to me That's hopeful All right, that's hopeful. That's you just saying what could it be? Yeah, and if we speak in the subjunctive right now, I think that's really healthy and I hate in in in writing I hate the subjunctive but I think in community building you got to live in the subjunctive wood could should right?

We're in that wood could should stage as opposed to being in the stage later on We when we say we should have we could have that's the one I worry about later on So I want you as an example like to me that is there's no bad ideas like challenge it add to it subtract to it The second thing I think we should just talk process just to not assume others would know process right your point about internal plan So the the school, I'm sorry The library building program is when I reference the MSBA, which is the school building authority It is a kin there is a there is a manual you can go online right now And read that will tell you the size of spaces that the state requires you to have Never mind for certifications but funding right and so there are things that are going to make sure the library is what the library needs To be and they're going to be a financial partner and a needed financial partner But even more than that this board and again, I'm going to be long gone from this board This board actually doesn't get to decide this ultimately this board gets to push forward an idea and residents can push forward an idea Town meeting is ultimately going to be the one most likely to be the one It's it's definitely not the select board because the select board doesn't have money to do anything It needs to go to town meeting to do it So there's a lot more process Think about the new school when you think about this building that by the time the taxpayers were being asked to vote in the new School because of the MSBA process We had gone through some very extensive planning and design documents so that you actually could look at what a kindergarten classroom Was going to look like in concept right to that point I think it's fair to assume the same type of things here because if we go down the path of library There is no library without the state being a partner and requiring that level of detail, which is time-consuming Arduous and expensive, but it also guarantees a result, right? It gets you to a more predictable place So I just wanted to explain that process so that people would hear that there really is.

[Speaker 7] (1:22:31 - 1:22:43)
This is really the first inning Yeah of a nine in a game in terms of ideas Quick questions is Hawthorne currently pay Rent to the town, you know to rent the space.

[Speaker 1] (1:22:43 - 1:22:50)
So as a yes, but if you want to offer a dollar more Don't tell me like thank you.

[Speaker 7] (1:22:50 - 1:22:51)
Thanks Lou.

[Speaker 3] (1:22:52 - 1:22:57)
Thanks Lou. We have some hands up on teams Diane can we recognize more allow?

[Speaker 18] (1:23:00 - 1:23:34)
Hi, Maura Maura whenever you're you can you can unmute yourself and make your comment. Okay.

[Speaker 17] (1:23:34 - 1:24:35)
Well, we'll come back to you Maura FCC First of all I feel like this is already Actually I'm off of the open space the building that's humongous, but Is it a da I mean if you're a senior or elderly or Are you going to be able to make it up to see that beautiful view? Where those things take into consideration?

[Speaker 4] (1:24:38 - 1:25:16)
So those just a few of my comments Thanks, Cindy So I'm not a building expert, but I think if anything's built currently, it must be a da compliant. So Although the inclines might look aggressive if there's elevator access or other ways accessibility We would have to abide by those rules legally We we don't have a choice. And I also I think we would be Divided from funding if we didn't do those things.

I just want to make sure that yes Fears aside it will be a da compliant

[Speaker 3] (1:25:18 - 1:25:22)
Thanks, Katie, Maura

[Speaker 6] (1:25:34 - 1:25:34)
Liz

[Speaker 15] (1:25:44 - 1:26:20)
Hi Elizabeth papaletto precinct 3 I was watching at home and a couple things surprised me so I just figured I'd come down This is Library the first I'm hearing of it Is it the first The whole most of the board is hearing of it, okay, so I was confused why Delamar had heard about it before most of the town Because you had mentioned it sounded like it was a done deal and then you mentioned you had just talked to him about it But I were you is To need to be cohesive.

[Speaker 1] (1:26:21 - 1:26:55)
No, I don't have so I'm happy to answer the question. So Delamar I'm gonna say I'm just gonna repeat what I said before which is We have weekly calls with them and we gave them a preview yesterday morning of it Before the town before he's telling us before this presentation tonight. Yes, because as someone that we're asking to invest Tens of millions dollars in our community.

We decided since we had the call It was better for them to hear it a day early as opposed to seven days late So we made the decision to share this information with them.

[Speaker 15] (1:26:55 - 1:27:54)
Yes, and then just wanted to remark also When you say before we hadn't done anything to build community in the past and this is the first buildings are nice And they make a community look nice, but that doesn't make a community, right? so just so you know that Hadley spot has been a traditional spot for this community for so long it goes back generations and generations and generations and It used to be a place where kids could walk and play with their kid and play with their friends and sit on the steps When school was out or we had Park League there stuff like that. So We've definitely always had community in that area.

So maybe you're trying to build More buildings and stuff, but the community is there and the community would appreciate Really feeling involved in whatever processes go forward with these spots, which I know you've heard a lot But I just wanted to amplify that. Thank you.

[Speaker 4] (1:27:54 - 1:28:47)
Thank you I just want to also expand on what Peter said since I was also on the call the call with LMR The conversation was the same as we're having with you all right now, which is this is an extremely community driven process This is an idea that we're putting forward for folks to punch holes in to have feedback on to have opinions on this was not Hey, we're building a library. Do you like it? That that's not what the conversation was.

So I just want to be very clear that This the this conversation was what we had with Delamar just to say just so you don't read about it in the paper We're going to give you a Preview so that you're hearing from us Exactly what we're going to say tomorrow night. So just want to say that All right Wait, I still I still do.

[Speaker 5] (1:28:47 - 1:28:53)
Oh, is this the only concept that they have presented were there any other concepts this

[Speaker 2] (1:28:55 - 1:28:59)
This was the only concept They they've presented

[Speaker 5] (1:28:59 - 1:29:08)
Thank you, what's really important for me as we're going along is to see sketches or assumptions assumption tables on on finances

[Speaker 1] (1:29:12 - 1:30:43)
There's there's a really good idea lying in there, which is I actually Sean again can outlive me I would suggest that we actually to help illustrate for people so that they just Understand we would need to understand in public procurement and prevailing wage if we just wanted to spend we already bought the property So now it's ours to do whatever we want to do with it, right and so we can make a decision But if we were gonna spend 1 million dollars on the property, what does that look like if we're gonna spend 5 million dollars on? the property what does that look like in 10 million and just because I think None of us really actually have a sense of what if you just wanted to make the green space look like Red rock down the down the way and and just wanted to do that If that's where the community is, what would that I think that's really helpful to say that it's I think people are gonna surprise It's not cheap right parks aren't cheap But I think it helps for comparative analysis For people to do that so they can decide where the value is and what they're getting for the dollars there I think that earlier would when Mary Ellen mentioned that the slide said that finances were less it wasn't finances. It was revenue Was a lesser concern that people when they responded to the survey To the surprise of many of us. I think revenue wasn't in their top of their list primarily It was actually in the bottom of the list Other concerns just it so it wasn't saying that finances aren't important finances, of course are important But it was about whether or not revenue should drive the decision here as opposed to not drive the decision But I'm glad that You've kind of addressed it by saying we can have an end here and do both

[Speaker 2] (1:30:46 - 1:32:32)
Mary Ellen I appreciate those concerns because frankly, you know, we look at the town's finances, you know, we have a lot of Responsibilities to balance and and I do think it's gonna be important for us to really look at all the different revenue streams that we're going to be able to access because of the Proposed concept here, but certainly, you know, we're we're we're not right there yet to make a decision about You know what we're gonna do with the property. So getting some of that financial information I think will be helpful for folks to to really see you know that It's not just about spending town money It's about actually getting state funding programs and getting some other endowments to help make this Reality achievable.

I will I am remiss though and not just mentioning that creating some of this open space really is so helpful to Mental health it's so helpful to so many things that frankly a town As densely settled as Swampskip is we're a town that has really tight neighborhoods and having any type of open space, especially waterfront space is so valuable from a Public health standpoint and I don't want to lose sight of that. I really I think the town deserves this I think people deserve this and I think we ought to use our best level effort to just look at this as carefully as possible as we seek to Do something extraordinary Thanks Sean, I have just one what is the match rate for the library state fund?

roughly I'll have to get back to you.

[Speaker 1] (1:32:33 - 1:33:16)
I'm not exactly sure how that is factored But if it's anything like the MSBA, it's very complicated There's actually a great manual that's very Layman like which helps diagrammatic and whatnot to show you kind of programmatically what they they seek in these things We are looking to schedule something within the next Month we have a number of holidays that we have to work around.

[Speaker 2] (1:33:16 - 1:33:20)
We have school vacation So it's a complicated month, but we're we're trying to find that date.

[Speaker 3] (1:33:20 - 1:33:32)
We want to have it soon Do you think we'll have a date by our next meeting in a week, it's my expectation We'll we'll have a date hopefully by the end of the week. Okay. Thanks Sean Thanks everybody

[Speaker 2] (1:33:43 - 1:33:44)
They'll be on the website tonight

[Speaker 3] (1:33:46 - 1:34:09)
Thank you, all right, we're gonna move on to a discussion impossible vote Okay, we're gonna move on to a discussion impossible vote to open the annual town meeting warrant of May 20th 2024 Including review discussion and votes on articles for inclusion in said warrant

[Speaker 2] (1:34:11 - 1:35:27)
All right, so As we discussed last week, we have a number of worn articles We can step through these this week You know individually we also have a new Warrant article that has been presented from the retirement board at the back of the Warren article And Happy to Step through these with the board or Answer any questions.

Let's let's step it on. Okay. So the first article is You know a report of boards and committees second is the approval of bills of prior year this is generally a Housekeeping article The third article is the appropriations to the FY 25 budget finance committee is meeting now Typically we make adjustments over the next few weeks as we get more certitude for Healthcare costs and other line items in the budget that will change between now and presentation

[Speaker 6] (1:35:27 - 1:35:30)
Can interrupt just for one second.

[Speaker 2] (1:35:30 - 1:35:52)
Didn't we just do this walk through like we did a week ago like the same thing We did and that's why I had a doing something different now or we have one new article If the board wants to discuss that new article, I think that might be a good use of the time But happy to just step through if folks had questions You know, I'm happy to answer those as well.

[Speaker 6] (1:35:52 - 1:35:56)
So that's all that's changed in the last week or two. It's just this one article Okay.

[Speaker 3] (1:35:56 - 1:36:08)
Well, I also think that there are you have you have some numbers placeholder articles Just just looking at article four for instance where you have established a recruitment stabilization fund Maybe you have an idea as to what?

[Speaker 2] (1:36:10 - 1:36:57)
As to what that recommendation would be we're still working through some numbers. Obviously, you know, we were taking a look at the town's Financial position and reserve levels, but certainly hope to have a recommendation in the next week The establishment of a retention and recruitment stabilization fund We also are recommending establish of a utility stabilization fund we talked about that over the last several years these are fluctuations that can change year to year and it's hard for us to Stick to a really steady annual budget with utilities that may fluctuate higher than but for for article 5

[Speaker 3] (1:36:57 - 1:37:11)
Do we have a is there a recommendation from the town administrator or the or the or the finance? Or fincom or professional staff as to what that what that number should we're getting that number and certainly You know over the next week.

[Speaker 2] (1:37:11 - 1:37:31)
We're going to be making a recommendation. We're looking at the last ten years worth of energy costs and The impact of the town budget and trying to get a sense of how we can stabilize You know those utility costs and how they impact both the town and school Operating budgets. Okay.

[Speaker 6] (1:37:31 - 1:37:43)
Do you all have the actual language for that in your packets for five? Okay, we don't okay All right. So I have no idea

[Speaker 2] (1:37:43 - 1:38:02)
We at all what the intent is there the intent is to stabilize the operating budget so just like You know snow and ice utility costs can fluctuate Widely and and help

[Speaker 6] (1:38:03 - 1:38:10)
So this has been a this is I get it This has been an issue that it's that really has very nicely and it helps us, you know

[Speaker 2] (1:38:10 - 1:38:34)
Protect the operating budget from you know swings and utility costs and it's been in place in other communities to help really just Ensure that we have a steady focus on on operating budgets in and we can draw upon a utility stabilization fund to Offset any significant increase over okay a 2% plus new growth, whatever that number might be.

[Speaker 6] (1:38:35 - 1:38:35)
All right, great.

[Speaker 2] (1:38:35 - 1:38:38)
Thanks go back and And use it as a stabilization fund

[Speaker 5] (1:38:40 - 1:38:53)
So, can you go back just to article 4 on article 4 the purpose of this is And just explain to me why we don't want to keep this on the operating budget We're gonna or you want to take it out and I do

[Speaker 2] (1:38:55 - 1:39:49)
Over the last several years we've had a significant Change in Staffing levels we've talked extensively about you know, some public safety Vacancies and just the cost to go out and and try to recruit and train and address some of those issues can can have a significant impact on one fiscal year and so what we want to do is is really address some anomalies that would happen if we had a significant issue with Recruitment or retention if we have a number of staff that frankly You know looking to Make changes, you know, certainly we don't want to have to go through that disruption and And we want to have some funds that would help us just stabilize the the workforce and the budget

[Speaker 5] (1:39:53 - 1:40:29)
I'm not Not sure. I really I'm in support of that, but that's that takes a bigger conversation One question I do have is on retained earnings If we have if we're looking at putting in Capital articles for sewer infrastructure.

Is it a good idea that we're looking at moving money from retained earnings? or is that actually something we have to do mechanically just to Balance to get money out of retained earnings Mariana I'll look into that and get back to you.

[Speaker 2] (1:40:29 - 1:40:30)
I do think

[Speaker 1] (1:40:30 - 1:40:50)
This is rate stabilization So this is money that is they don't know the amount yet, but I think this is the money to smooth out potential Higher than normal increases in water and sewer and retained earnings is what in the past we have used to smooth out those rates So I think this is anticipatory

[Speaker 11] (1:40:52 - 1:41:21)
It's not it's not due to the rates it's because as of Mid-year when we did our tax rate DOR told us that our Projection because our consumption was down was trending that we would be deficit in this for the second year in a row Which we have not in fact been deficit. We appropriate additional retained earnings last year as well So this is in anticipation of having to do additional retained earnings to balance the budget For those enterprise funds.

[Speaker 1] (1:41:22 - 1:41:36)
Well, that would be to balance the budget in 2025 2024 Does that work does that mean that we just we set the rates too low, I mean, I'm not I'm not saying it judgmentally We're coming.

[Speaker 11] (1:41:36 - 1:42:06)
Yes your revenue Yeah, so the projected usage Due to the conservation efforts of the town and all of its residents the projected usage Has been trending far lower than what we projected we projected With conservation but not as much conservation has actually happened and since there are fixed costs in there That are not reliant on the consumption. We are having to Appropriate additional retained earnings to balance that.

[Speaker 1] (1:42:06 - 1:42:24)
So are you are you gonna similarly go propose or is there going to be proposed retained earnings? For fiscal year 25 water rates in anticipation of something being abnormally different Last year, we didn't use them. I don't think but my question is have you guys modeled out fiscal year 25 water rates?

[Speaker 11] (1:42:27 - 1:42:32)
We're modeling them right now, so we don't have that yet Last couple years.

[Speaker 2] (1:42:32 - 1:43:01)
We've tried to model this so that we Can address some of these? Issues during the annual town meeting Unfortunately, you know when people conserve more it actually cost us a little bit more Because the town actually makes revenue That that is frustrating Reality that said people should conserve water.

[Speaker 5] (1:43:02 - 1:43:25)
Maybe is that this is that the same situation for water? Yes, it's the same for water and sewer Okay, so when you're going to estimate what the rates are going to be for sewer Are you anticipating what capital expenses are going to be? Yeah, we factor in the debt payments in that calculation Okay, and when do we vote on those those rates?

[Speaker 11] (1:43:26 - 1:43:56)
It's at the end of April Yes, normally Yeah, so we have a meeting with The chair of the water and sewer infrastructure next week Patrick and myself do To go over how we're gonna start that process with the new committee To make that recommendation to the select board and Amy are we are we just looking at what you know?

[Speaker 3] (1:43:56 - 1:44:08)
what the rate should be on the water sewer side for You know for our existing debt service or are we also looking ahead to what to what capacity we may have for future projects

[Speaker 11] (1:44:08 - 1:44:11)
both So we model it both ways

[Speaker 2] (1:44:13 - 1:46:33)
So I've asked the town treasurer to look at Our sewer rate our sewer rate generally trends much lower than a group of peer communities and so what this tells us is that we just haven't invested in sewer infrastructure Consistently with other peer communities and so I've asked the town treasurer to actually model what would happen if we actually brought our sewer rate up to a Level of our peer communities and how much additional bonding could we Recommend to help address some of the additional work on that infrastructure and so it's my Expectation and I'll be back shortly with the board to talk about How we can make recommendations to utilize some of that capacity Thank Sean, all right, so Nine is an approval of free cash for opioid special purposes this will allow the town to take advantage of an opioid settlement fund this will allow the Board of Health to address some of the Statutory You know Approved opportunities to address addiction and some programs for public health article 10 is a Approval of free cash for a special education reserve fund. This is something that I've discussed at length with the superintendent and You know this again falls in line with some of those stabilization Concepts that you know, we have costs for education, we don't know one year to another what they are, but they are statutory and as we Continue to address some of these Fiduciary responsibilities having a portion of our financial position Put in stabilization accounts just allows us to stabilize the operating budget.

[Speaker 6] (1:46:33 - 1:47:15)
We we did this already, right? We have yeah So just in general like I also don't have the language for this right so time wise When do we need to have all of this like I have like a mishmash of different pieces here When are when is that? Okay right now?

Are we behind or what when generally, you know We we can have this language updated over the next week where you know, typically so like if we met next week We could like have like a really filled in version of this Okay, when we're meeting next week or whenever to have a filled in version, what are the mechanisms on how this money would be released?

[Speaker 5] (1:47:17 - 1:47:25)
For who who makes the decision on how to release money out of these different reserve funds I think we just need to have clarity on that

[Speaker 11] (1:47:26 - 1:48:02)
Mary Ellen there was an agreement that the town administrator and superintendent had signed when this fund was established That stipulates that it's approved through the regular AP warrant process so the school committee would approve it the same as they do all the bills that get appropriated from their budget and then The town administrator as a designee for the select board would approve it as well. So that way it keeps Any of the information out of public so it isn't really focused on any particular student So if we already have that already set up, why are we why do we have another article?

[Speaker 1] (1:48:03 - 1:48:57)
This is just additional money to go into it So I think what's going to be helpful is to understand How this is The goal is to have it be a stabilization fund, but when 100% of the money is used in its first year It doesn't it doesn't and we already need to refill it. It doesn't feel per se like a stabilization fund And so I think we just need to just with conversations with the school finance team and whatnot Just really understand be realistic about what it is. What it is is what it is I'm not questioning that and we need to support it.

I'm just saying that I also want to keep The intellectual honesty about a stabilization fund What it's supposed to be and not just a recurring annual we fund a stabilization fund it gets used we fund in a stabilization fund again Type of environment. I mean that would make it a very unusual stabilization fund

[Speaker 6] (1:48:58 - 1:49:15)
Just to follow up on that like is there ever a time when we think it's potentially that we would under spend and therefore it would really be a stabilization fund or is Every projection that every single year this is and has been going up and up and up and up

[Speaker 2] (1:49:15 - 1:50:03)
So we have trend lines we can get into some analysis We've done some deep deep dives into you know, how we have spent some of these dollars I do think there will be a time we're coming out of a pandemic.

We're gonna have years of you know, some challenges, but certainly you know, we can get some information from our School department and really help just show The merit behind this I think you know what we're trying to do is stabilize the operating budget and by putting some funds aside These are specifically Special purpose dollars they have to go to these types of uses and it allows us to you know Keep a steady hand on on the operating budget and these dollars would come out of the

[Speaker 5] (1:50:04 - 1:50:10)
Dollars for some of these reserve funds are what are the recommendations on where the dollars are going to come from?

[Speaker 2] (1:50:11 - 1:51:11)
Free cash so article 11 is a amendment for The general bylaws for revolving front or Andrew Chapel this would allow Andrews Chapel to Raise some funds and expend these funds in the preservation of the Chapel Article 12 is amend bylaws for revolving fund for historical Commission. This would allow the Historical Commission to increase their Spending limit to address some of the town's historic preservation responsibilities Article 13 is the adoption of the Community Preservation Act This is an important funding program that will allow the town to access State dollars in advance of a number of critical priorities

[Speaker 3] (1:51:13 - 1:51:17)
Doug do we have a do we have a public meeting or any announcement?

[Speaker 6] (1:51:18 - 1:51:59)
Go ahead Nice catch I was gonna wait till select board time when three people were left Yet next Tuesday night At the high school be 129. There will be an open public information and question-and-answer session about the Community Preservation Act so encourage everybody and anybody to come and get the full lowdown on the value of the CPA and impact on tax surcharges and exemptions and The great things that can be done with the CPA. Thanks Doug.

Thank you David for that PSA.

[Speaker 2] (1:52:00 - 1:52:19)
Yep All right, article 14 is chapter 90 improvements. This is a number that we get from the state every year and It's a housekeeping warner Article 15 is recommendations for capital projects I have a question on that.

[Speaker 5] (1:52:20 - 1:52:30)
Um, we haven't reviewed the capital projects and yet the Finance Committee already has it How when are we going to be really giving our opinion on the capital projects?

[Speaker 2] (1:52:32 - 1:52:48)
I'm happy to present it to the board at our next meeting Article 16 is zoning bylaws Can I just ask a clarifying question because there was a question about this at Finance Committee to the process is that?

[Speaker 6] (1:52:49 - 1:52:57)
they recommend first and then We do it's the town administrator

[Speaker 5] (1:53:06 - 1:53:12)
Select board has the conversation makes a decision then the select board sends it to the Finance Committee

[Speaker 1] (1:53:13 - 1:54:25)
The Finance Committee sends it to Capital Improvement Committee who then makes a recommendation to Finance Committee who then makes a recommendation to town meeting So inherent in that is there was something that's Capital Improvement Committee has already voted on these things that they've voted.

They've voted on a plan They voted on a plan. And so again, this is I mentioned this at a prior select board meeting It's a process that needs to be fixed Which is our Capital Improvement Committee is not in charge of creating Maintaining and controlling our capital plan. That is the town administrator with the select board and then they get to review it and then and have that thing, but they like I mean just the missing thing here is that in my Before you Sean it's not a you thing I no one has ever presented to me a capital plan before it went to fincom I'm a capital plan or a capital recommendation is already reviewing it.

I'm just I'm too And that's and I think that so the customary practice is actually not following actually what the practice is supposed to be And so at some point we just need to reset and everybody say okay timeout We got to do it differently because the rules actually have it be done differently or change the rules to do it the way that We're doing it if people think it's a good idea and I'm you know

[Speaker 5] (1:54:25 - 1:54:58)
Well as the policymaking board, I think it has to it should be starting here. But just Just to Give a comment about Capital Improvement Committee. I don't I don't really see Capital Improvement as making policy They are handed a slate of Projects and they are just in their meetings I just would see them vetting the projects and asking a number of good questions so but your comment I am 100% behind that that it has to come here for us to start here and give some direction because It's a great opportunity.

[Speaker 1] (1:54:58 - 1:55:11)
Yeah, you're not you're not you're not again doing anything which anybody before you do I think that we just got a custom in practice, which is just sequentially out of order and it doesn't make sense so we just need to Fix that we need a capital plan.

[Speaker 2] (1:55:11 - 1:55:34)
That is as robust as the annual budget and And gets approved as a plan in the early fall and then it becomes a Capital budget when when the board and the town administrator actually approve List of projects that should be advanced.

[Speaker 3] (1:55:34 - 1:55:49)
That's not how the town charter conceives it So But regardless we're gonna have this conversation at our next meeting. We are meeting next Wednesday So this will be on on the agenda for the time, right?

[Speaker 1] (1:55:51 - 1:56:30)
So article 16 is amending To amend zoning laws and accessory dwelling units Do you mind if we to the chairman and we can just quickly go over but like Maybe we'll have the planning director be here and we can go through this is only once Not have the conversation twice partially tonight and partially the 10th of another night Yeah, that's that's on the agenda for the 10th as well. Yes Thank you. So I think that's 16 17 18 and 19 Gets us right to leaf blowers one of two leaf blowers So what is the 20 leaf blower?

[Speaker 6] (1:56:30 - 1:56:35)
Is that something we're bringing forward? Are you bringing that forward Sean?

[Speaker 1] (1:56:35 - 1:57:16)
What is that the one that's in response to whether or not we want to implement fines? That's right for the leaf blowers I think it's the I think is that if we wanted to implement fines We would have to go through an article bylaw we would because there's nothing it would need to be included in the bylaw, right? So are you having town council draft language?

So I mean just can't tell us because we're not at a point of deciding whether or not we want to do it There's also just we must talk about it. Now. There's also a citizen petition, right?

To reverse the leaf blower ban That's in place the the gas Leaf blower ban during the summer months There's a citizen petition to reverse that so there's just there's two potentially two things here for us to talk about

[Speaker 6] (1:57:16 - 1:57:30)
and does it before we go off spending money for town council to write up a That's a huge deal, but we haven't had any discussion here about whether or not we actually want to do anything

[Speaker 5] (1:57:31 - 1:57:33)
We can have a discussion right now.

[Speaker 6] (1:57:33 - 1:57:35)
Yeah, that's right. That's what I'm suggesting.

[Speaker 2] (1:57:35 - 1:58:00)
Yeah, well we passed a bylaw to Ban leaf blowers, so it would make sense You know after spending some time to get out and try to engage the community that we have a little bit of a stronger tool to help support so this sounds like this is a right now the town administrator is Making is working on a recommendation to make to us that we then can decide whether or not it's our warrant, right?

[Speaker 1] (1:58:00 - 1:58:26)
So the board can decide whether or not they want to keep it in or not But there's gonna be a number of things that he'd like stabilization funds that he's recommending We decide whether that goes forward, but we don't have the language yet to even to know So I just suggest we hold off on having the policy discussion because I don't even know what it is We were actually having a policy discussion on at the moment And I want to just give the town minister a chance to flush it out for us We have that I will in a week

[Speaker 2] (1:58:27 - 1:59:04)
Absolutely Yeah Article 21 is the general bylaws for fingerprinting certain applicants once we Think we have their records on file, but we are required to fingerprint them every year and this will allow us to Avoid redundant levels of effort who are we required to fingerprint anybody that is receives a Liquor license, but anybody that applies for liquor license application typically a number of other Municipal Applications.

[Speaker 3] (1:59:04 - 1:59:16)
Okay, so no one day liquor license would be fingerprinted just just annual liquor license beer and wine typically it's annual I'm not I'd have to look into the one day Can I just ask who?

[Speaker 1] (1:59:16 - 1:59:50)
One staff is On your staff owns this warrant meaning who's who's who's helping you with the warrant the director of finance and administration So so we're just I'm just we're three weeks away from having to close the warrant And there's a lot of articles that seem like we should if the concepts here the fingerprinting was a perfect example We should have the language by now, and so there's just this just needs to be by Monday filled out So we have time to look at it for Wednesday It's just there's just too many articles that are again. You guys are balancing so many things so I understand that but we just We've got a runway here, and so let's use it

[Speaker 2] (1:59:58 - 2:00:29)
So article 22 is a recommendation to amend the town charter to Make changes in the elected and appointed officials and there's a Number of boards and committees that frankly we have been looking at and I'd like to have a conversation with the board about Considering appointing the Board of Assessors

[Speaker 5] (2:00:32 - 2:00:44)
So I am completely not in support of making a change to a charter without having this vetted with the public and we haven't had conversations in public about it, and I

[Speaker 1] (2:00:45 - 2:01:01)
Just well, we don't even have language yet, so in fairness I don't even know what we're talking about yet, but again, so So just get I would have the language and you have to be prepared to support your recommendation again wherever it goes what goes but

[Speaker 2] (2:01:04 - 2:01:17)
Article 23 acceptance of easement for public parking and sidewalks at all in place. This is a Project that will help us advance

[Speaker 1] (2:01:18 - 2:02:04)
Some changes for a project yeah, so just let's be more specific so people understand what we're doing here You don't need to be vague There are public there are parking spaces that are currently that are part of the elm place Westcott development that when the project is done are going to be deemed public parking spaces right now that land is private land So therefore they wouldn't be public parking spaces But once the project is done those spaces are going to be available for the public to park so this is effectively giving us The rights we need to increase public parking adjacent to this project This is probably all part of the deal It's all part of the comprehensive permit and the review by the departments for the project So this is just a formality now that they have to give us and we have to accept an easement For doing it, so it's just a formality

[Speaker 2] (2:02:04 - 2:03:05)
All right article 24 is a request to appropriate $225,000 for improvements to Properties located at off Archer Street. These are properties the town recently acquired we've been We've received notice that we will receive a grant in this amount and help.

This will help us create a trail Motorized trail for Behind Archer Street No pickleball courts there, right that was just a joke I am happy to entertain sadly That's much to the great work of Marzi Galaska community and economic development team Last one is a citizen petition for gas power leaf blowers. These are just mandatory Articles that we have to include as part of the warrant

[Speaker 5] (2:03:07 - 2:03:33)
Want to make a comment on grants We're we apply for a lot of grants and it seems like it gets a little bit confusing We have an actual policy in our on our finance and our financial policy manual that grants are supposed to come to the select board prior to being applied for So, I'd really like to get us in line with our our financial policies so can we start focusing on that?

[Speaker 2] (2:03:34 - 2:03:37)
We will we can absolutely start focusing on that.

[Speaker 5] (2:03:37 - 2:03:37)
Thank you.

[Speaker 3] (2:03:38 - 2:04:17)
Can we have a conversation about that? Sure. No just about I'm just I'm just a little Perplexed and confused as to you know, you know, we have a hard-working town staff who are Trying to do their best to apply for these grants.

I don't I don't understand why The select board or Fincom should be involved and engaged with what grants? Marzi and her team or others should be should be applying. I just don't I Fundamentally, I don't I don't see that like we're a policy-making board But we're not involved in the day-to-day operations of the town.

[Speaker 5] (2:04:18 - 2:05:03)
So We made a policy We made a policy. We have a financial policy that this board voted on And in the policy It specifically says that Applications for grants will come in front of the select board So that is a policy that we have if we want to change policies, maybe that's a different different comment but I don't think that the intent is to Is to slow anybody down I think it's to get real clarity on what we're doing so that everybody knows what we're doing and and Just how to run a little bit tighter ship this policy this board the policy-making board made that policy I'm recommending we follow the policies that we've made.

[Speaker 1] (2:05:03 - 2:05:21)
Yeah So I think David what you're saying is that maybe we should revisit the policy Well, I am looking at the policy and the policy does say that for any grants in excess of $5,000 Needs to be so I think what you're saying is let's revisit the policy, which is yeah You should talk to the chairman and see if you can put it on an agenda in the future I'll have a conversation.

[Speaker 2] (2:05:21 - 2:05:37)
All right I Will update the warrant make sure that we have many of the articles. We already have town council's Warrant article. We'll just update that and get out to the board as soon as possible

[Speaker 5] (2:05:39 - 2:05:53)
And I sent an article I sent an article in from the retirement board the retirement board sent an article that's right I sent it in the back of I sent it in last week Okay, so that's something we have to just chat about

[Speaker 2] (2:05:54 - 2:06:12)
This is an article voting to see if the town will increase The Base of the retirees cost of living allocation from $14,000 to $16,000

[Speaker 1] (2:06:13 - 2:06:39)
So that's something the retirement boards asking for it being the warrant they voted to include that Okay Yeah, so can we just that's gonna probably require town staff to do a presentation and the retirement board can as well But I mean, I just to understand the fine this on its face never is self-explanatory as to what the true financial implications are I just so we just needs and the retirement board should come here too. And that's great.

But it's one of the articles That's never self-explanatory

[Speaker 6] (2:06:40 - 2:06:49)
And with the retirement board, we don't really It's not really up to us whether or not it gets on the warrant Correct

[Speaker 1] (2:06:52 - 2:07:05)
So, okay, the only things that are guaranteed a spot on the warrant are citizen petitions In verbatim to how they're stopped because of their independent status they had to have okay now All right, but they could do a citizen petition

[Speaker 3] (2:07:09 - 2:08:04)
Okay, anything else about the warrant Sean staff a lot of work in the next week to really to really get the language and if we can have this a Few days ahead of our meeting that would be greatly appreciated. So we can come in on the table We'll make that happen really have a robust conversation All right, we'll move on we're gonna have a discussion possible vote on the use of town ARPA funds The way the way I envision this discussion going is really a two-part question or a two-part Process. We do have a meeting next Wednesday.

I think it's important that the town administrator Provide us with with an update as to where we are as of today And then and then I think we're we're gonna continue that conversation in addition to discussions about capital at our next meeting That would be great.

[Speaker 2] (2:08:04 - 2:08:38)
I think you know tonight our director of finance administration is Put together a presentation of where we are today with the town's portion of the ARPA funds. We do have some departmental recommendations we don't have all of the detail, but we'll Put forward some additional information next week and the board can actually have a conversation about allocating some of these dollars and really prioritizing You know these one-time funds

[Speaker 1] (2:08:38 - 2:08:54)
And I just asked that we've actually had a presentation just like this and we've gone through what we spent We've gone through what the rules are and I think we've seen many of these departmental I haven't gone back to compare but are these new departmental recommendations are these the same ones that we saw previously?

[Speaker 11] (2:08:55 - 2:08:56)
These are the same one.

[Speaker 1] (2:08:56 - 2:09:33)
Yeah, so I don't Personally, I don't know that I need to go through the exact same and then We're just gonna take this up again on So if there's some new things you want to throw on the table, that's awesome I'm just saying I just we've we keep because we haven't finished this process would keep repeating the same presentations, and I'm just some point someone's just got to put a recommendation on the floor and Say passes the legal mustard that we can use funds for these things the board Debates it and the board votes and then whatever right, but I don't need to hear the rules anymore I just need to hear the recommendations.

[Speaker 5] (2:09:34 - 2:09:37)
Is this what our the remaining dollar amount is two million?

[Speaker 11] (2:09:37 - 2:09:58)
Yeah, five one and that's taking everything out of Pine Street Yeah, so you guys voted one point seven six and that vote didn't change. So That mostly updated the year-to-date expenditure We voted one seven six, but wasn't there three hundred thousand?

[Speaker 1] (2:09:58 - 2:10:28)
Yeah, so there is there there is a potentially we we potentially Let's let's circle back if you Amy there is some affordable housing trust fund money. Let me let Mary Ellen and I will circle up with you I just want I can't it's been a while since we looked at the numbers to understand what the current cash needs are versus What the ultimate cash needs are because there's other There are other expenses. I don't know whether not the one seven six covers those or not, but let us Yeah, let us let us just let us just circle back with you because I just can't

[Speaker 6] (2:10:28 - 2:10:37)
And the other thing I think that's not on here Amy is we did another 30 for Glover Okay, the one thing we did do

[Speaker 11] (2:10:39 - 2:10:42)
No, I might have missed that meeting I'll add that

[Speaker 3] (2:10:45 - 2:10:48)
All right, so that two one five one number will change

[Speaker 19] (2:10:51 - 2:10:53)
Yeah pinnacles on there

[Speaker 2] (2:10:58 - 2:11:04)
All right, so I I based on that feedback, I think it would be best for us to just circle back around next week with

[Speaker 1] (2:11:05 - 2:11:38)
So if we can just again just and I'm not trying to simplify this, but this is great We know the money we spent we know what we spent it on if you can put forth with the chairman you're recommend You know, whatever whatever you're recommending For whatever things and you know just in a simple In a table, yes, I got it just just to help us because I think we're there's so many recommendations out there and again I want to give fair Viewing to everything. It's just that I think at this point It's a little confusing to us Well, what's hold on?

[Speaker 5] (2:11:38 - 2:11:49)
I just have a couple questions just so I get these beforehand What does this Public Works Kings Beach water quality engineering three years, what what is that one?

[Speaker 11] (2:11:54 - 2:12:00)
What that's the one Kleinfelder presented to the board about Cleaning up King Beach.

[Speaker 1] (2:12:00 - 2:12:23)
Yeah, so they did like Four months ago now. So again, I'm just gonna I'm not saying this to deter your questions I'm just there is an illustration of like how dated our information is here and without having Kleinfelder back here, someone needs to be prepared to answer these questions and Really prepared to answer these questions, right and I don't think we want Kleinfelder back here again repeating themselves

[Speaker 2] (2:12:25 - 2:12:33)
Yeah, we actually need to actually update quite a bit information for some of these recommendations, okay

[Speaker 6] (2:12:33 - 2:13:12)
Right. So it's the interface between the capital plan ARPA Maybe the sewer Hmm Water and sewer sewer, right and debt service funds, right? So like especially when you get into this Kings Beach potential money, right?

Like where is that potentially coming from if you're suggesting something over and above? The five plus million dollars we already approved Six months ago or whatever it was Right. So we just right now.

It's like very murky. Are we talking about something additive? And if we are where is it actually being funded from?

[Speaker 1] (2:13:16 - 2:14:01)
Yeah, no, I agree I just I mean it just is it just murky at this point no pun intended but it's it is for us and we just I Appreciate some sentiments that were shared earlier that we should just Do one thing but we have to look at all these plans and all these needs and know at least be conscious of the choice We're making Agree disagree, whatever but be conscious of saying by doing this we know it's an opportunity cost, right?

There's something we're not doing. What is it that we're not doing and how does that take care of itself in the future? for example, so Somehow this has to become much simplified but much more robust in terms of making sure that the left hand in the right hand have Absolutely.

Okay I'm sorry, Marilyn. I wasn't trying to circumvent your questions.

[Speaker 5] (2:14:01 - 2:14:19)
Oh, I didn't I didn't I didn't get the feeling you were circumventing I Just want to see where we stand with fishermen's I don't see anything here for fishermen's but maybe that's what you mean for Kings Beach You know, I

[Speaker 3] (2:14:20 - 2:14:27)
We're gonna be talking about is it yeah, there's a much there's a much more robust conversation that is going to happen on the 10th

[Speaker 1] (2:14:31 - 2:14:36)
So that's also next week too I Just I'm just trying to understand what our schedule is. Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (2:14:36 - 2:14:45)
Yeah, we're meeting we're gonna be meeting we're not meeting Wednesday for 10 in regular session For 10 hour marathon.

[Speaker 1] (2:14:45 - 2:15:05)
Yep. I'll do breakfast. Who's doing primarily is It's yeah And the war and the war that's really all it should be I mean, can we just agree that that's all we I mean, do you have something else that has to absolutely be on it because What happened to our Eagle Scout Eagle Scout Pushed until the 10th.

[Speaker 3] (2:15:05 - 2:15:38)
So the Eagle Scout will be on the top of our agenda on the on the 10th. All right I will still so we'll get them next week Okay. All right.

We'll move on unless there are any other questions or comments We'll move on to the consent agenda The consent agenda is designed to expedite the handling of routine and miscellaneous business of the board The select board may adopt the entire consent agenda with one motion and at the request of any board member any item may be removed From the consent agenda and placed on the regular agenda for discussion

[Speaker 5] (2:15:39 - 2:15:56)
Like to request that you we remove February 12th minutes and Asked Diane as Sean to ask Diane to look at those minutes and just adjust them to be accurate of What was said during resident comment?

[Speaker 1] (2:16:01 - 2:16:08)
I Would move the consent agenda minus the February 12th Second all in favor.

[Speaker 19] (2:16:08 - 2:16:08)
Aye.

[Speaker 3] (2:16:08 - 2:16:22)
Aye. Thank you Wait just Diane when you when you make those changes, can you send the red line to the board? Yeah, please.

Thank you Thank you select board time

[Speaker 6] (2:16:27 - 2:17:01)
Just keep people up to date on a lot of work that Marcy's been coordinating with a number of us around resiliency and Upcoming deadlines for grants so municipal vulnerability preparedness grant is due in a few weeks and You know Harbor and waterfront chair water and sewer committee chair climate action committee chair Capital Improvement Committee chair

[Speaker 5] (2:17:03 - 2:17:04)
Everybody yeah

[Speaker 6] (2:17:05 - 2:20:01)
Have been you know meeting regularly to kind of work through And then had some interface with Kleinfelder as well to get their input and expertise To make sure that we're kind of picking the right area right project right scope scale, etc To put ourselves in the best position because these grants are becoming incredibly competitive So there's no guarantee That certainly no guarantee that we'll get it.

But it does feel as though we are moving towards with the municipal vulnerability preparedness grant Focusing on kind of the entire they like them to be kind of be big The entire area of fishermen's to Eisman's to Phillips Park like that whole region basically of town And what are the different alternatives that we should be assessing? And then ideally we would be getting through with this grant all the way to with public input regulatory input to What are the? design ready next steps Like like 10% design like starting into design That would be the output Ideally after a year's long if we got the grant Went through this whole process by the end of it in a year from now or so We'd be in a place knowing this is exactly what we are doing and we're not doing and we'd be ready to apply for Like a 50 or 60 percent design or pre-construction or something like that grant So it would kind of take into consideration all the different ideas that are floating around kind of pun intended And we know those down so that we actually have a full community and community engagement is going to be a big big piece of this and there's active Conversations involving trying to get even more people involved specific to that area to play a role in this process and Right after that just to finish that up if anyone has any questions Coastal resiliency grant comes right after that And so same type of thing there. Then there's a question.

Is that same region the best region to focus on for? That type of grant or is it better to focus on Kings Beach for that grant? We're working again with Kleinfelder Kleinfelder is also bringing in different subs likely with this like Woods Hole And and others that are experts in various pieces of this And so hopefully over the next two months We will have put in two grants maybe both very similar to the same area Maybe one for one area one for the other whatever we think is kind of most competitive That's the thinking

[Speaker 3] (2:20:02 - 2:20:05)
Will you be consulting with the select board I

[Speaker 6] (2:20:06 - 2:20:58)
Just did no. Yeah. Yeah.

No, I mean that's I'm just you know sharing that is that's the thinking, you know We could certainly have because we're just got like a you know an outline of what Kleinfelder would be proposing like a Day or two. Yeah and so we've asked them to kind of beef that up so we could certainly bring that back if you would Want to have that as a brief agenda item next week when we just said we wouldn't but we could certainly kind of have blessing of that or not I Just actually want to take a moment in one of my remaining few select board Minutes to actually talk.

[Speaker 1] (2:20:58 - 2:24:21)
Hello talk indirectly, I guess to staff in town Tonight is a is a great reminder to me of The importance that you all and Marzi sitting here, so I'm gonna look at Marzi and Jonathan still here our library director the role that you play and yes, we may be at point in time sitting up here and we're elected and we're policy makers, but you guys are the idea Mills and I It is hard to put forward ideas because we don't put forward anything people don't tend to swat away nothing But when you put forward things there's always going to be people that want to swat it away or want to do something a little differently or or don't like this I don't like that and But towns good towns need you to keep showing up and doing this and planting seeds and sometimes you don't get what you thought you're gonna get when you planted the seed, but you still get something and I know Let me say this way from my position I know that there are meetings that I go home and I feel demoralized Right, there are just nights where I'm just I I go home and I wake up the next morning and I feel hungover Emotionally like that was just disappointing. I Could have said something better. I could have done something better.

I Could have helped that project better. I didn't do a good, you know, I said something that maybe made staff not feel appreciated but Even for us we have to get back up and we have to then do it again But for staff you guys in my nine years And there's been a lot of people so I'm not going to mention names at the moment here Your ideas are what's critical? The fact that you put forth what you put forth tonight It's important.

I don't know where it lands. I don't know where it ends, but I Know that we're planting something and we're not going to look back in a hundred years and say would have could have should have We're gonna say we thought about that for different reasons. We made a choice Maybe it wasn't the choice we'd make now, but we didn't have that opportunity now or then excuse me And so I just wanted to And it's all levels.

It's not just we see community development and planning and public works the most often But it's it's everywhere in town hall year if everyone's making a decision every single day some some are bigger and more obvious, but everybody's making a decision and I get in politics. It's tough because then things get political and it's wins, but Believe in your compass if you think it's a good idea Right be open to compromise be open to alternatives But if you believe it's a good idea and something worth fighting for just I encourage you to do it And I'm grateful because you have all given me most of the things that I've advocated for are not my ideas there are your ideas that you folks have brought forward and Allowed me to advocate for it and my colleagues as well They're not our ideas and that's the important thing is and different select board members have different philosophies Admittedly, I'm not going to judge one over another mine has been I viewed my position here To support the town in doing what it needs to do it doesn't mean I don't have opinions and it doesn't mean at times I Will bang a table and say this is my opinion, but I'm here. I was here I'm still here a little bit longer to support what you do And and so just thank you for what you've done. Thank you for the audacious idea tonight that we could actually have a world-class library and

[Speaker 3] (2:24:24 - 2:25:24)
That's it, thanks, thanks Peter just came to my attention that we Me I accidentally skipped one of the agenda items, which is the discussion and possible vote to open the warrant for our town election so So moved All in favor, thank you very much I just have I just have two things to say Select board time There's gonna be a formal dedication of the Frank D Feliz diamond this board voted to to name our Swampscott High School baseball diamond after coach D Feliz and That dedication will be happening on Saturday April 27th at 10 a.m At 207 Forest Avenue behind the Swampscott Middle School There'll be a brief speaking program and the unveiling of the sign naming the field with a reception to follow hope Hope all of you can join And with that I would entertain a motion.

Hold on a minute.

[Speaker 5] (2:25:24 - 2:25:56)
Oh, I'm sorry So for my select board time I have the Disability Commission is in need of a gate Sean over at Clark School and I need to get an answer to that hopefully tomorrow You and Gino can the the playground the the playground at Clark School if Children are playing in there. They they can get out of there There's a section there that they can get out.

[Speaker 3] (2:25:56 - 2:26:00)
So the front or in the back on the back I think it's on the back side.

[Speaker 5] (2:26:00 - 2:26:55)
I'm not sure but I Think Gino has products that he can try to fix it But he's going if you could just look into that and if you could get back to me tomorrow Because I have to give them an answer I want to thank the Disabled Veterans Association Mike Sweeney and Jeff Blonder for the great job They did with the veterans the Vietnam veterans breakfast last Friday They really do a great job And I'd like to ask on I think on the CPA if we're gonna have the CPA in the warrant if there's any possibility that we could have like For about four meetings to really get it out there and maybe have something you know something that people can just plug in on the website and get educated because it's gonna be recorded next week and

[Speaker 6] (2:26:56 - 2:26:57)
Anticipate having at least two.

[Speaker 5] (2:26:57 - 2:28:25)
I mean, we'll see how many I really like to see more You know just push or even if it's just recorded We just push that out the next week if you come then actually you can run the next one I will be there. I don't know. I don't know if I know it well enough But if I know well enough, I will do it again I I also I had the opportunity to Speak with a company called sport court and Because I was doing some research on pickleball and really, you know are there other places that we can put pickleball and a gentleman from sport court came down and Just before I came here tonight, and he looked at our court over our pickleball court right now and They do some work in converting tennis courts into pickleball court and he said that they could make that a a four court a four court pickleball court and tennis court that they have that so I asked him to send his information to Marzi and to to Sean and Just get us some more more info, but there's a possibility that something could happen there and the reason I went and looked at that is An individual from town meeting said if we don't get this through we're gonna have no chances and I Promised I would I would look into it for him.

So I'll be set. So that's the information you're gonna be getting from Mike Shario Terrific.

[Speaker 3] (2:28:25 - 2:28:36)
Thank you So now I would entertain a motion to adjourn so moved Second second all in favor. All right. Thanks everybody.

Have a great night.

[Speaker 18] (2:28:37 - 2:28:38)
Thank you salmon