[Speaker 14] (0:40 - 3:03)
. . .

[Speaker 1] (3:51 - 9:54)
. . .

. . Hello and welcome to the Select Board meeting.

. . .

. . and I haven't had the opportunity to thank some very important people.

So before we start, in case we get too late, I want to thank Nate Beischeim, Nathan Kent, and Joe Dulette for providing us the services to get us on TV and for public media. So thank you gentlemen. Next if you please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance, and this meeting is being recorded.

So we have a full agenda tonight. We're going to begin with public comments. We're going to have public comments for every item except for the open meeting section that has to do with the addition to the G-Bar.

So if you have a comment about the remodeling of the G-Bar, if you want to hold that until we get to that, we will take care of that. But anybody that wants to have a comment about anything you would like, please remember the Select Board will not be responding to your public comment, and you're welcome to get up there and spend three minutes public commenting. Is there anybody for public comment?

[Speaker 6] (10:12 - 10:47)
Hi, Marsha Darlton at 37 Pine Street. I just want to comment just a little bit about the veterans housing. As I stated before, we are not against the veterans housing, but I would just like the board to keep in mind the neighbors, not just the veterans.

The veterans are very important, and I'm not saying that, but the neighbors are also impacted by this, and if there's a five-story building, it's going to cause a lot of heartache in the neighborhood. So that's really all I had to say, and thank you for listening. Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (10:54 - 10:55)
Thank you, Marsha Dalton.

[Speaker 13] (10:57 - 12:34)
Hi, my name is Mary Conniff, and I live at 14 Erie Street. My sister, Christine Johnson, has lived at 12 Erie Street since 1996 and has been a homeowner since our sister Betty passed away a few months ago. Christine is unable to attend tonight and asked me to read a statement in her stead.

This group here has been discussing proposed projects on the Pine Street site for a couple of years now. It started with the brothers who proposed a four-story condo building and were disappointed when they were told they could only go up to three stories, and one of them needed to be parking, as on-street parking in the neighborhood is already difficult. Now we are listening to plans for a five-story building for veterans.

While I am wholeheartedly in favor of veterans housing, I am concerned about the size of the proposed project. A building that large will block any sun from reaching our property. In addition, a facility that will accommodate as many residents as proposed, as well as any visitors or caretakers they may have, will require more access to parking than this neighborhood that already includes many multifamily homes can accommodate.

My only additional comment is a really quick question. Again, it was raised at the last meeting. How can we be informed about these meeting schedules?

Recently we have only learned of all these meetings from our neighbors. We're not getting any mailings or attention. And I wanted to add that I fully appreciate and understand the dire need for the veterans housing.

However, the current proposal does not suit the site or the neighborhood, and I thank you for listening.

[Speaker 1] (12:34 - 12:48)
Thank you, Mary. Is there anyone else for a public comment? Sir?

Give us your name and address, please.

[Speaker 10] (12:49 - 16:15)
Yes, Steve Gadman, 11 Pine Street. I have a couple of a few bullet points that I'm just gonna rattle off. Some of the stuff may have been discussed already, and then I just have a statement to read.

So I was wondering if there's any plans on working on the sewer pipes on that street. We've had many problems. Has the master plan for 2035 for our area be considered in any of this?

Where is everybody going to park if the VFW post is in the building, along with caretakers and stuff like that? Lighting on the building and parking, is that going to be, is the area going to be affected? That has to be taken into consideration.

The mass noise laws, that building being that close to all the residential houses, the mass state law is 50 DB, and with all the equipment going on the roof, the houses are too close to put everything on one lot. That has to be spread out throughout two lots so that the neighbors aren't affected by it. And then the right to light, we have, we do have the right to light.

There is a law out there to protect that from us, that you can't take our light away from us, and I understand it's for the veteran housing. I'm not opposed to the housing, but to go up five stories to take everybody's light, it has to be spread out throughout the two lots. And the town bylaw, the town bylaw, it can't go that high.

And there's, I've been in meetings before and they said that the bylaw to have a building that high, there's no special permit that you can get to have to put in something like that. So that has to be taken into consideration too. And the statement I have is we have heard from the town what their wants and needs for the project.

We have heard from the VFW their wants, needs, and demands. Who asked the residents? We have heard all, heard of closed meetings with the select board, meetings held with the VFW and members of the select board.

Where is our meeting? We have heard from the board that they do not want the burden on Burrell Street residents moving the VFW posts there. What about Pine Street residents who will now have the burden of the local VFW post and a 42-unit veteran housing on the street?

How is this fair? It's very upsetting that the people this project will affect most impact on have not been considered. The neighbors will have the noise, the parking, the traffic issues.

Has anyone done any research on any veteran housing? Do they have a canteen serving alcohol in them? It seems concerning to me knowing many veterans choose not to be around alcohol that this housing unit will not be something they would consider.

Mr. Grishman, when you post it on social media, this is a win-win. I guess you were not thinking about the burden it would cause the taxpayer residents and the voters that live on Pine Street. Where is our win?

Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (16:17 - 16:47)
Thank you, Mr. Goodman. Is there, okay, okay, sir, sir, do you want to, do you want to speak? Okay.

All right, is there anybody else that would like to go to public comment? Oh, okay. Mr. Demento.

[Speaker 4] (17:10 - 17:15)
I am unmuted.

[Speaker 17] (17:21 - 18:26)
I'm now unmuted by you. Thank you. I want to thank all the members of the select board for all the work they've done in the last two years to make this happen.

Spending at least 1.7 million dollars of town's funds. Being one of the 290,000 veterans in Massachusetts, this has been a crying need for a long, long time. Many of our Vietnam veterans, which I am not, I'm a pre-Vietnam person in the Army, but they are coming of the age where they need this facility, and they need them.

I am very proud of Swanskip for being a leader in doing all they have done to achieve this goal. And I hope tonight a decision is made to move forward to provide veterans housing on Pine Street. Thank you for the time.

[Speaker 1] (18:28 - 18:35)
Thank you, Mr. Demento. Is there anyone else for public comment? Not seeing anyone for public comment, I do...

[Speaker 5] (18:35 - 18:36)
I have a couple of emails.

[Speaker 1] (18:37 - 18:37)
Okay.

[Speaker 5] (18:38 - 18:38)
End of the record.

[Speaker 1] (18:40 - 18:41)
Mr. Grishman.

[Speaker 5] (18:42 - 19:45)
Katie Arrington, 40 Roy Street. While 89 Burrill Street is not a viable permanent location, the veterans are trying to work with the town by agreeing to move during the construction of the affordable housing project on Pine Street. They are asking for simple requests.

One, that the town cover the cost of moving and build out of the basement at 89 Burrill Street as previously promised. Two, that the town will cover gas, electricity, water, sewer, snow, landscaping, and road and control for at least the first year of temporary relocation. Three, the VFW liquor and entertainment licenses remain and are assigned to the temporary location.

Four, that the town ensures, in addition to the proposed 1,500 square foot build out in the new development allotted to the VFW, portions of one or two of the units in the first floor be repurposed for additional VFW use. And five, that the town grants the VFW maximum lease allowable by law. The RFP should be edited tonight to include these minimal asks.

This isn't a perfect project, but giving even slightly shows appreciation and good faith. Let's all work together. Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (19:46 - 19:51)
Thank you, Ms. Arrington, via Mr. Grishman.

[Speaker 5] (19:51 - 19:56)
And then I did want to read Eric Schneider's- Can you use the mic there?

[Speaker 1] (19:56 - 19:56)
They can't hear you.

[Speaker 5] (19:56 - 20:33)
Oh, sorry. Perfect. I did want to read Eric Schneider.

He sent an email to us this afternoon. Dear Select Board members- Oh, sorry. Eric Schneider, 480 Puritan Road, Swampskate.

Dear Select Board members, I am unable to attend tonight's meeting, so I'm sending an email. I am writing to express my concerns that the Select Board will exceed the authority granted to it by town meeting if the Board votes to convey the site to a developer that will construct a building without a new VFW post. As you know, the powers of the Select Board are limited, and its power to enter- Is a member of those other groups, but they may be veterans.

[Speaker 13] (20:33 - 20:53)
We have 488, I think, veterans in the town, and everybody- It should be an inclusive body, not just for those groups. So, he is right. Only veterans, particularly combat veterans, know what combat is about.

We shouldn't presume that we do. Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (20:53 - 21:07)
Thank you, Mrs. DiCillo. Okay, so does anybody else have public comment? With that said, we're going to now move to the town administrator's report.

Mr. Acting Town Administrator.

[Speaker 9] (21:08 - 21:15)
May I respectfully ask we move to after the new and old business, just to give some people an opportunity to speak?

[Speaker 1] (21:15 - 21:34)
You may, and we can do that. Thank you. Thank you.

So now we are going to move to acknowledge our new DPW hire, Mr. Mark Noonan. Mr. Cresta, would you like to- Before Mark speaks. Before you speak, Mark, can we talk about you?

[Speaker 9] (21:34 - 21:59)
I'd like to introduce- Mr. Cresta. Mark Noonan. As many of you know, I've had a vacant position in the DPW office for close to a year now.

Mark has stepped up. He's been with me for a week and a half now, and all indications are that he is going to be an asset to the department. Mark comes with years of experience in the private sector and has his professional engineer's license, and I'm looking forward to it.

[Speaker 15] (22:00 - 22:18)
Thank you very much. I have 16 years of engineering consulting experience, and I'm a licensed civil engineer in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and I'm looking forward to applying my skills to the maintenance and improvement of the town's infrastructure. Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (22:18 - 22:22)
Does anybody have any questions for Mark?

[Speaker 2] (22:22 - 22:23)
Welcome. Welcome, Mr. Mark.

[Speaker 15] (22:24 - 22:24)
Thanks.

[Speaker 1] (22:24 - 22:31)
I have a couple questions for you. Yeah, sure. So have you been here for a couple days, or are you coming here?

[Speaker 15] (22:33 - 22:34)
Last week was my first week.

[Speaker 1] (22:34 - 22:36)
Okay. And did you enjoy it?

[Speaker 15] (22:37 - 23:13)
I did. The employees in the town have been super helpful with my onboarding, and Gino has been showing me the ropes, and I've gotten to know some of the guys on the cruise, the skills that they have, and how the maintenance of the town occurs every day. So still a lot to learn, but first week or two I've just been getting organized, familiarizing myself with the vault that houses all the town's records for water and sewer and as-built projects, and Gino even gave me a tour of the wastewater lift station and a few other things around town.

[Speaker 1] (23:14 - 23:26)
Well, you come highly recommended. You were the talk of the town before you got here. So really, I can say for me as a resident, I'm really happy that you're here.

[Speaker 15] (23:26 - 23:29)
I appreciate it, and I live in Marblehead with my wife, Kate.

[Speaker 1] (23:30 - 23:31)
All right, we will hold that against you.

[Speaker 18] (23:31 - 23:32)
Exactly.

[Speaker 1] (23:34 - 23:37)
We'll be checking for a new realtor for you.

[Speaker 15] (23:39 - 23:40)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (23:41 - 23:57)
Thank you. All right. That is great news.

So next we're going to our municipal decarbonization plan. Wherever you would like.

[Speaker 8] (24:01 - 28:48)
Hi, I'm Martha Schmidt. I'm the chair of the Renewable Energy Committee, and I was working on the decarbonization plan with our facilities director, Max. Anyhow, the municipal decarbonization plan is being done to fulfill a requirement to be designated as a climate leader, which is a new Department of Energy resources program called Green Communities 2.0. We have been a member of Green Communities since 2010, and under that program we received a number of grants over the last number of years for energy efficiency projects. The new program is directed at reducing emissions in municipal operations, and that's in alignment with the Commonwealth's goal of net zero emissions by 2050. And the plan only targets municipal operations. It's not like town-wide or it isn't directed at commercial or residential buildings.

Also, it's non-binding, so it's just a plan. So in order to become designated as a climate leader, there were five criteria that we needed to meet. So those included having a climate or energy committee to advise and coordinate with the town on green energy and climate activities.

Another criteria was to have a municipal decarbonization commitment, which we achieved by approving a climate action plan at town meeting in May of 2023. Another criteria was that the town needed a zero emissions vehicle policy, and we did that and revised energy code, which we adopted at last March's 2024 town meeting. So the final criteria was to have a municipal decarbonization plan submitted to DOER, and that is what we're looking for approval for.

So what is the plan? It basically documents our emissions for each facility sections to 2027, 2030, 2040, and 2050. And there are goals set for each of those years.

For example, we would need to reduce emissions by 15 percent by 2027, 35 percent by 2030, 65 percent by 2040, and 95 percent by 2050. So how did we get there? So we basically looked at our capital plan, first of all, to understand when renovations were going to be planned at each of the facilities and then kind of working together with the facilities director, refining that plan, so just to make sure it made sense, right?

So do the time frames make sense? When are renovations planned? You know, when are we expecting to update the HVAC systems?

And so we came up with a plan, and the good news is that we got a big jump start because we already removed the older elementary schools from our inventory. So those basically got us to zero emissions for those buildings. And we replaced, you know, the elementary school with a brand-new school, which is great.

It's emissions-free. So that's the overview. I'm not sure how much more detail you want to hear about.

A few examples are, like, we assume that the fire station will have renovations done by 2030, so that will zero out emissions for the fire station. For the middle school, we have something in the capital plan already, but we didn't want to be too aggressive by saying, well, we're going to reduce emissions for the middle school by 2030. We said we could probably take 15% credit by 2030 and then the rest by 2040.

We assumed that we would do the DPW by 2040, and the high school, you know, that's longer term and that's not really in the capital plan. So we had to make some assumptions as we went along. So are there any questions on the detail?

There's a lot of detail in the report, many tables, but, again, a lot of it is assumptions on what we could do when.

[Speaker 2] (28:49 - 29:40)
Just make a quick comment. So, first of all, everyone that feels supportive of this should feel extremely grateful to Martha Schmidt because Martha did an incredible amount of work to put this plan together, and she was not alone. Max, Casper, as well as Gino, and please, if there are others that kind of had a big hand in pulling this together, I want to make sure that the acknowledgement is made because there was a lot of very detailed work to get to very specific buildings by very specific time frames, specific vehicles, et cetera, et cetera.

I mean, it's just a plan, but it is very detailed now. It's only a small part of our emissions, unfortunately, or fortunately in town overall, but we have now an incredibly detailed plan going forward for capital planning, et cetera.

[Speaker 8] (29:41 - 29:44)
And Ryan Hale also participated.

[Speaker 18] (29:45 - 29:45)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (29:46 - 30:28)
I did have a couple questions for you, Martha. I think maybe, Margie, you can help with this. I'm just wondering, as far as grants are involved, like what does it look like opportunity-wise for us if we were to turn around and, say, sell a number of our vehicles that we use and just go right to electric vehicles?

You know, we have vehicles that are relatively new, they're young, and yet they're still gas, and I'm just wondering if there's been consideration into selling them and possibly getting grants or subsidize getting electric and other options like heating pumps in some of the different buildings.

[Speaker 6] (30:29 - 31:10)
Well, I think that's something that we should work collectively with all of the department heads, especially the ones that are utilizing the vehicles, to assure that an electric vehicle could meet the demands and the needs of each of the departments. We're always on the lookout for any funding that we can bring in into the town and really offset or really maximize and, you know, use any of the funds as a match towards the grants. You know, we have a great relationship with our committees.

We work really closely with Martha Max and, obviously, the chiefs as well as Gino and any other department that, you know, would utilize electric vehicles. So we'll continue to be on the lookout for that. Okay.

[Speaker 1] (31:11 - 31:31)
Martha, I did read this fairly quickly, and it is really detailed, and I think it's a great plan. I'd like to hear what the finance committee has to say about what it would take to make sure we expedite and get ahead of the curve on all this. So, Doug, were you looking for a vote here tonight?

[Speaker 2] (31:31 - 31:39)
Yes, we do need to take a vote to support this, and do we actually have the language in here?

[Speaker 1] (31:40 - 31:44)
Well, do we need to take a vote tonight, or is there a timing on it?

[Speaker 8] (31:44 - 31:52)
We'd like to submit it by the end of the year in order to qualify for, you know, this program. What is it we're qualifying for?

[Speaker 2] (31:52 - 32:08)
To become a climate leader, which basically makes us eligible for larger grants. I don't think there's, like, a Cinderella moment at December 31st. Is that true, Martha?

[Speaker 5] (32:09 - 32:39)
Actually, the information that we've got from DOER is that in order to be classified as a climate leader in this cycle, this plan would need to be approved by the end of this year, and the grants that are opened up by becoming a climate leader are significant. Just to put it in perspective, each year we're eligible for up to $100,000 in green communities grants already. This will be orders of magnitude bigger than that.

[Speaker 2] (32:43 - 32:53)
So we just need to approve the plan and then send a letter stating that the executive body of the town has approved the plan, right?

[Speaker 8] (32:53 - 33:06)
Right. We need two letters of support. One is from the superintendent, which we received already, and then the other is from the town administrator, saying that the select board met and approved.

[Speaker 2] (33:07 - 33:17)
So I make a motion for the select board to wholeheartedly support this municipal decarbonization plan. I will second that.

[Speaker 1] (33:18 - 33:29)
Any more discussion? Okay. All in favor?

Aye. Motion carries. Okay.

So thank you, Martha. Thank you. Thanks for all your hard work.

[Speaker 18] (33:29 - 33:30)
Thank you, Ms. Blossom.

[Speaker 1] (33:31 - 33:45)
Now we'll move to the, what do we have here? We'll move to our liquor licenses. And we have, do you know who do we have here for our liquor licenses?

[Speaker 9] (33:46 - 33:47)
We have Angelica Noble.

[Speaker 1] (33:48 - 33:52)
You mean Officer Noble? Everyone's okay.

[Speaker 9] (33:53 - 33:54)
I'm sorry.

[Speaker 16] (33:56 - 34:08)
I watched the meeting from a couple weeks ago just to see where you left off. Is there, are there any questions first? Or do you want me just to go through each business and kind of give an update of where we were and where we are now?

[Speaker 1] (34:10 - 34:13)
Why don't you give the update of where we are now? Okay.

[Speaker 16] (34:14 - 34:46)
So, sure. So I won't go through every single business, but there were two businesses, Pomona and the Italian Club that both had outstanding inspections with the fire department. Those both are all set.

The fire department did sign off on them. So the only thing that is currently outstanding is a balance owed to the town by Hawthorne. Other than that, everything else is totally up to date on our end.

[Speaker 2] (34:49 - 34:56)
And where are we in this presentation? Can we start tracking? Are we in license?

[Speaker 1] (34:58 - 35:00)
Hold on. Diane, you're going to bring that back up?

[Speaker 18] (35:01 - 35:02)
I should.

[Speaker 3] (35:07 - 35:19)
I'm just looking at the list. I believe if you click in the first rubric, the second rubric is the one that has, well, they're all checked off now. They're all checked off, yes.

[Speaker 1] (35:24 - 35:38)
Okay. So as far as what things pertain to the liquor license. No, Hawthorne is on here.

[Speaker 3] (35:39 - 35:41)
So they're all checked off except for Hawthorne.

[Speaker 9] (35:44 - 35:48)
So Anne made a note. All right.

[Speaker 1] (35:48 - 35:49)
So Hawthorne is back in.

[Speaker 9] (35:51 - 35:51)
Yep.

[Speaker 1] (35:52 - 35:53)
Hawthorne is pulled out.

[Speaker 9] (35:53 - 35:54)
Yeah, they paid a lot of bill today.

[Speaker 2] (35:56 - 35:58)
No, there aren't, but it's this.

[Speaker 5] (35:58 - 35:59)
Okay, right here.

[Speaker 2] (35:59 - 36:05)
Yeah. So I would move approval of... Did we do any of these last time?

[Speaker 1] (36:06 - 36:14)
We did some of them last time. There was a couple that hadn't finished paying that we had out. And we also pulled out dockside because we had questions up there.

[Speaker 2] (36:14 - 36:23)
Can we just redo all of it, basically, just wholeheartedly? As opposed to, like, figuring out what was there and what's not from last time?

[Speaker 1] (36:23 - 36:24)
We can.

[Speaker 5] (36:26 - 36:27)
Yeah, plus that we were covering.

[Speaker 2] (36:28 - 36:29)
Right. Okay.

[Speaker 1] (36:29 - 36:29)
We can do that.

[Speaker 2] (36:29 - 36:30)
So I make a motion.

[Speaker 1] (36:31 - 36:32)
On the liquor license.

[Speaker 2] (36:32 - 36:47)
On the liquor license. I make a motion to approve all of them on this list, you know, with the exception of Bertucci's, which is closed, and little G provisions, which didn't submit because of the other conversation we're going to have.

[Speaker 1] (36:47 - 36:49)
Correct. Second. All in favor?

[Speaker 10] (36:50 - 36:50)
Aye.

[Speaker 11] (36:50 - 37:03)
Motion carries. Now we go to the common vicar license. Hello.

So were any approved last time, or all the ones that did not have outstanding items to submit were approved last time?

[Speaker 3] (37:04 - 37:10)
And so now we're just looking at the ones... All of the common vic licenses that had no outstanding items.

[Speaker 11] (37:10 - 37:33)
Okay. So currently the only one that remains outstanding is OYO frozen yogurt. I have tried multiple times to get in touch with the business owner, Mr. Salim, and have not had any luck. I did have luck with Starbucks and with Renzo's Pizza, so they are all set. They have submitted their materials, but OYO remains outstanding. Are they still in business?

[Speaker 18] (37:34 - 37:34)
Yes.

[Speaker 11] (37:34 - 37:59)
They're still in business. They have the right to be in business through the end of the year, under the current common victual or license. And then January 1st, I guess we have to go full Hulk vote on them and take out all their tables and chairs.

Because really that's what a common victual license is, and its essence is just the ability to have seating at your establishment. It's the food permit that allows you to serve your food.

[Speaker 1] (37:59 - 38:09)
So this is a food permit. And is it possible to approve this pending? They have their, we're waiting on a payment.

[Speaker 11] (38:09 - 38:13)
We're waiting on payment and a full application for renewal.

[Speaker 1] (38:13 - 38:27)
Okay. So pending payment and full application of the renewal, if they can get that into you by the 31st, let's have a motion to accept that as well. Does anybody, would anybody have a problem with that?

No.

[Speaker 2] (38:28 - 38:28)
We'll approve them all.

[Speaker 5] (38:29 - 38:30)
And we're subject to.

[Speaker 1] (38:30 - 38:31)
Subject to. Yes.

[Speaker 5] (38:31 - 38:32)
So moved.

[Speaker 1] (38:33 - 38:34)
Second. All in favor.

[Speaker 5] (38:34 - 38:35)
Aye.

[Speaker 11] (38:35 - 38:57)
So now we move to the entertainment license. I don't have any outstanding issues on my end. Everybody that is subject to an entertainment license per MGL chapter 40, has submitted the necessary paperwork and payment.

So unless there are any questions from you, I'm happy to answer anything, but I have no outstanding issues on my end.

[Speaker 1] (38:57 - 40:25)
So I am going to bring up one issue on, on the dock side because we have had complaints on the dock side. And I know for myself personally, I had a chance to speak to the proprietors of the dock side and they have expressed that they are working very hard to make sure that there are minimal complaints and that they will continue to do so. I also looked into some of the complaints that could have possibly gone to the police department and actually those complaints were minimal too.

What I did learn was if you look up complaints surrounding the dock side, if there is a traffic violation or somebody is pulled over, the dock side address is used as a location. So the police department went through every single call that came about the dock side and identified every single one of them. And they were minimal.

The dock side, the police department, the chief of police has promised today that if there are any calls involving the dock side that he would personally make sure he called the owners of the dock side to make sure that there was no issues or if there is an issue, we would resolve it right away. Okay. So that's where we are.

So if we can have a motion to approve all the entertainment license. Motion. Second.

All in favor.

[Speaker 2] (40:25 - 40:26)
Aye.

[Speaker 1] (40:26 - 40:26)
Motion carries.

[Speaker 2] (40:27 - 40:30)
And thank you for the detailed investigation. Madam chair.

[Speaker 1] (40:30 - 40:39)
You're welcome. Okay. So now moving to the class two license renewal procedures for the vehicles.

[Speaker 3] (40:40 - 40:41)
Did we not?

[Speaker 1] (40:41 - 40:42)
Did we do that one?

[Speaker 3] (40:42 - 40:43)
We did that. All right.

[Speaker 1] (40:43 - 40:46)
So why are these, so are we all set with everything then?

[Speaker 3] (40:47 - 40:48)
Little G now.

[Speaker 1] (40:49 - 41:01)
Little G. So now we'll continue. We are, we actually carried over our public hearing.

We're still in a public hearing for little G. So Marissa, are you going to do little G? Yes.

[Speaker 11] (41:01 - 42:19)
Yeah. Happy to introduce, summarize what's going on. And then Greg Brackman owner of G and little G is also here too.

If you have any questions for him as well. But I believe there was some confusion at the last meeting over what the status of little G is. For anybody that hasn't been in there.

It is, you have big G and you have little G. If you are standing from the outside, the two businesses are not connected. Public cannot pass from big G to little G.

Little G however is a provisions market as well as a casual eatery. You can pass between both of those. Greg right now is looking to just close down the market section of little G.

It hasn't been profitable. So he's looking to get rid of it and, or, you know, close down the market. And with that, get rid of his package store liquor license that's associated with it and just expand the dining that currently exists at little G eatery.

So at about 20 to 25 new seats and, and there you have it. And, and then alter the premises for his current liquor license as well to allow for serving and consumption where the additional seating will be located. And that's, that's pretty much the gist of it.

But Greg is here. If you guys have any additional questions for him as well. Greg, do you want to say anything?

[Speaker 5] (42:39 - 42:49)
Like she said, it has not been profitable. So we just decided to take that small four to 500 square feet and put 20 seats in it.

[Speaker 15] (42:49 - 42:58)
That's all we're doing. And we've obviously forfeited our package store license. So that small four to 500 square feet, 20 seats.

[Speaker 5] (42:58 - 43:06)
And we just want to be able to be able to serve alcohol in that area, which is connected to the whole restaurant. There's really not much of a change at all.

[Speaker 1] (43:06 - 43:11)
Now does little G and big G have two separate liquor licenses or is it one big liquor license?

[Speaker 11] (43:11 - 43:27)
They have one because the business is all under associated under one tax ID and all, all deliveries are received through the same rear egress or entrance to the business. So everything is combined under one liquor license and the building department does one annual inspection for both establishments.

[Speaker 1] (43:27 - 43:33)
Okay, great. So does anybody have any questions? We, we appreciate your restaurant too.

[Speaker 5] (43:33 - 43:34)
Thank you so much.

[Speaker 1] (43:35 - 43:38)
So can I have a motion to approve?

[Speaker 18] (43:38 - 43:39)
So moved.

[Speaker 1] (43:39 - 44:10)
All in favor. Aye. So moved.

The one thing I do want to say, Gino, we brought up in the fall, the issues that the neighbors have on the other side of the restaurants and all through the area. And it has to do with rodent management. And so could you please work with the board of health and get, come back to us and let us know what, what management is really happening and what the tasks are with the town so that we really see a clear plan and we can get back to the neighbors on that.

And we'll do that.

[Speaker 3] (44:10 - 44:13)
Thank you. I think we need a motion to close the public hearing.

[Speaker 1] (44:13 - 44:22)
Yes. Can I have a motion to close the public hearing? All in favor.

Aye. Motion carries. I thought Doug did.

No.

[Speaker 2] (44:22 - 44:22)
Sure.

[Speaker 1] (44:23 - 44:24)
You're hearing things. All right.

[Speaker 2] (44:25 - 44:26)
You're speed facilitating.

[Speaker 1] (44:27 - 44:38)
It's closed. Okay. So next we have public hearing is closed.

Now we go to update on our town financial forecast.

[Speaker 7] (44:38 - 44:46)
We have a motion to put our signatures on electronic.

[Speaker 1] (44:47 - 44:49)
We have all in favor.

[Speaker 18] (44:49 - 44:49)
Aye.

[Speaker 1] (44:50 - 44:51)
Motion carries.

[Speaker 18] (44:53 - 44:53)
Okay.

[Speaker 16] (44:54 - 45:16)
All set over there. I think so. I just want to clarify one thing.

The change of miss. So on the consent agenda, there's three change of managers just that, you know I confirmed those do not affect the annuals. So I don't think I'm going to stay for the change of managers, but there shouldn't be any questions.

Everything's there and they just, they don't affect the annual renewals. They're totally separate.

[Speaker 1] (45:17 - 45:18)
Thank you. Officer noble.

[Speaker 16] (45:18 - 45:19)
All right.

[Speaker 1] (45:25 - 45:50)
So last year, Angelica was reporting on liquor licenses. This year. Angelica is officer.

Noble enforcing the liquor license. Okay. It's called moving up the chain.

Okay. So next on our agenda is our updated town financial report. And we have our town financial director, Amy Smith.

Hi everyone.

[Speaker 18] (45:59 - 45:59)
Hello.

[Speaker 4] (46:01 - 49:16)
So this. Can you hear me? Yes.

So this. FYI. 26.

Preliminary revenue forecast. Myself, the treasurer and the acting town administrator. Gina Preston have gone through this.

So. This. Was supposed to have been shared.

In November. Unfortunately, the town administrator and myself are both at the same time. So.

This is just an overview of. FYI. 26.

I do want to emphasize that it's preliminary. Things can still change. So I want to start off by just reviewing the.

Adopted. Financial policy of the town. Is that our property taxes will be.

Budgeted based off 2%. Of the tax levy. Plus.

425,000 of new growth. The average of our last five years of new growth. Is still above 425,000.

So it's the lesser of the two. We do obviously check that every year to make sure that we're using the right number. In the event that the town administrator determines that that policy is insufficient to meet the budgetary needs of the town.

They can come before the select board and request to. You know, go above our policy, but stay within the constraints of the law. Our estimated local receipts are not to exceed 90% of the prior year actual collections.

So you'd be looking at the FYI. 24 actual receipt. And then there are adjustments made for known items.

We'll get into that one. We've reviewed grant revenues annually to determine if they're sustainable. We currently don't have any grants impacting our general fund.

And then the town will build and maintain its reserves and compliance with these policies. Just because. A lot of you were not here when we adopted these policies.

Does anyone have questions before I. Move on. Okay.

Just wanted to make sure. So. I want to start this with.

I understand that the. Tax levy calculation is confusing for everyone. So there are two slides that you're going to see.

The first one is. The prop two. And a half.

So the Massachusetts. Maximum that we are allowed to. Levy.

On the residents and the businesses in town. We have to calculate this every year, even though it's not part of our policy. Because it's a DOR requirement and we have to calculate the maximum allowable level to ensure we're never going over that.

This slide is showing that calculation. I'm not, unless you want me to, I'm not going to go over it in detail because then. It potentially gets a little more confusing.

Yep. But if Mary Ellen would like, I will gladly go. No.

I'm good with that, but I would like you to make a YouTube video so that we could put that up on our. I can. I cannot even express to you how many times I have drawn this out on the whiteboard in my office.

Even just explaining it to my colleagues out of their curiosity. I think we should have a video, an educational video on that.

[Speaker 5] (49:16 - 49:17)
Maybe a tech talk.

[Speaker 4] (49:18 - 54:31)
That's going to be lots of. That's going to be banned. Every day.

Okay. Tech talks being banned in the U.S. I think January 19th. So that tick tock video and live on too long.

Okay. Let's see. So the next slide is the slide showing our policy.

And our calculation. So if you would like to follow along, the green column is the current year that we're in FY 25. The tax rates were certified by the Department of Revenue.

Those are locked in. The blue is a feature for next year. So if you look in green on tax levy limit per policy, the underlying 58 million.

That was the limit per policy last year. The actual levy, the second to last line, the 58 million 385. You see that carried up to the top in the blue.

We have 2%, which is the increase allowed. So that 1.16 plus the 425 of new growth. So the tax levy limit for our policy is that 59, 978.

This is just one piece of the revenue, but obviously the largest piece that we have. Okay. The next part of our revenue is the state aid.

So, or sorry, she, as we call it. Per policy. We at this stage assume it's flat to the current year.

So FY 25, it's exactly mirrored to that. As we go through the process and get the governor's budget house ways and means we can make adjustments to this. We usually try not to assume too much of an increase without any support for it.

And obviously if we get any notification from, you know, the governor or the Commonwealth that they're going to be reducing aid, then we would have to adjust at that point. These are our estimated local receipts. So.

I color coded this just to make it easier. So we have to go through each one. So for future 26, every line that is still in that light blue is 90% of the actual collected in FY 24.

The lines that are in green, we have. Substantial information to be able to say that we are going to reasonably collect more than that 90% and we've made those adjustments there. So based off the cannabis excise tax history, which is 3% of the gross sales of the cannabis business in town.

Based off the trend of that and the sales that we've been getting, we felt comfortable increasing that. The meals excise has been increasing and we felt comfortable about 400,000 estimate at this stage. And our motor vehicle excise tax has been pretty consistently meeting that 2.4 million. And we felt more comfortable with that than the 2.3, which was the 90%. The two in yellow, the payment in lieu of taxes is an actual agreement that we have, as is the rentals. So we put those to actual instead of the 90%.

The two in. Should have been red, but that was very not readable. So this kind of pinkish shade, we had to lower these below the 90% based off information.

So, you know, to no surprise of anyone, we have spent down the bond proceeds of the new school. So we do not have that sitting in a bank collecting interest. Interest rates have also come down.

We could not keep the estimate of 90% of what we collected in 24 at FY 24, 425 was back to a reasonable estimate of where we feel the bank balance and the interest that we have. I do want to also highlight that pre pandemic levels and pre bond proceeds level, we were getting about maximum 200,000 in investment income. So this is still a good estimate.

It's just have, you know, we all got very comfy watching that, you know, $2 million number sitting there. Likewise, we don't have any known building projects that are going to be pulling permits in FY 26 at this time. So that 700 number is kind of swamps get business as normal in that department.

For DOR regulations, we cannot put anything in the miscellaneous recurring or non-recurring until it's actually collected. That was a lot. Does anyone have any questions?

So I have a question. Yes. What are the fines and forfeits comprised of?

Fines and forfeits are fines that are levied by our collector's office. So if you are not paying your taxes, it's the additional fines. The forfeitures are actually we go and levy against you and you have to forfeit additional fines.

Those also go in there. So that's all through the collector's office.

[Speaker 2] (54:32 - 54:38)
And the Medicaid reimbursement, there's zero here because that really just flows through the school directly.

[Speaker 4] (54:38 - 54:44)
Yes. So when the special education reserve fund was established, it was established that those funds would be appropriated directly in there.

[Speaker 1] (54:45 - 54:52)
When they come in, they come in to the town and then we have to appropriate. They directly go directly goes into this account. Yeah.

We designated that account. Right.

[Speaker 4] (54:53 - 54:55)
So those do not touch the general fund at all.

[Speaker 1] (54:55 - 55:04)
OK, good. I do have one question. In lieu of taxes, do we have a mechanism on how we adjust those up or down?

[Speaker 4] (55:04 - 56:18)
So that is part of the lease agreement that is with the property. So through the lease would be how you would do that. Thank you.

So there is also a fourth bucket that I didn't feel like needed its own side, which is the indirect costs in the enterprise fund. So in order to keep all of the costs associated with those enterprise funds, our water, our sewer, and our public educational governmental channel, they are charged indirect costs. So it's basically costs that are carried in the general fund such as health insurance, workers comp insurance.

The salary from the treasurer's office for processing the payroll for those employees, things like that. It is all billed directly to the general fund and then kind of charged off to the enterprise funds. We have an entire calculation that gets reviewed annually for that for each of those funds.

Those are the four main buckets that make up our general fund. With all of that said, at this stage, the preliminary total funding sources for the general fund for FY26 is $73.5 million, which is almost half a million down from FY25.

[Speaker 2] (56:21 - 56:32)
Right. But it's $500,000 less than what the final number was for FY25, not comparing apples to apples in terms of the stage of the process.

[Speaker 4] (56:32 - 56:33)
Correct. Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (56:33 - 56:37)
I mean, it's 90% in a lot of ways. So obviously it's going to be less. We're being conservative.

[Speaker 4] (56:38 - 56:56)
Yes. So as we, you know, get more information and go further in this process, that number can change. This is what we start building that preliminary county minister is budget based off of and start taking looks at where how the expenditures now match that.

[Speaker 1] (56:59 - 57:17)
So it looks like our biggest hit here that we are going to have no control over is our interest off of off of the money that we were investing in our investment money. And that's that's nothing we can that is now standing as a beautiful elementary school.

[Speaker 4] (57:20 - 58:10)
So just next steps in our budget. The department heads have submitted their expense budget requests and we'll begin reviewing the lines of their personnel this week in early January. All the department heads will meet with myself and the rest of the budget team to review those requests and understand them better.

And then I will be sitting down with the town administrator to develop the preliminary town administrator's budget, which gets presented to the SOC board by the end of January. The school committee will vote their final budget. No later than February 15th, at which time the town administrator and myself will sit there and go through with any feedback from the board at the January meeting to make that budget work to get to March 1st for the town administrator's recommended budget.

[Speaker 1] (58:11 - 58:21)
Okay. We're going to start try chair meetings on Monday, Friday. Is it Friday or Monday?

[Speaker 4] (58:21 - 58:21)
Monday.

[Speaker 1] (58:21 - 58:22)
The 20th.

[Speaker 4] (58:22 - 58:23)
Oh, I thought it was the 23rd.

[Speaker 1] (58:25 - 58:30)
We'll double check. Okay. Okay.

Do you have questions?

[Speaker 2] (58:32 - 58:53)
So is that your way of saying like this whole idea of the budget summit? I mean, I'm not even happy about bringing this up, but how are we going to ensure that we do not have a repeat of prior years? We promised that we were going to have a way to make sure that didn't happen.

[Speaker 1] (58:54 - 59:41)
Well, as you know, we have an acting town administrator here and we haven't had our regular town administrator in place for a little while. So that's really something that's out of our hands as a select board. And what we're going to have to do is we're just going to have to work the best we can with the school committee and try to work around these issues.

And we're having these conversations now and we're going to do the best we can. Amy does have spent an enormous amount of time gathering all details and information. And what is your opinion on being able to put something together?

[Speaker 4] (59:42 - 1:00:34)
I mean, we have an exceed amount of historical data on comparable communities as well as our own. What was what we were waiting on from the town administrator was the direction on how this was going to be presented and what information we should be fine tuning to present. The previous financial summit that was done in 2020 also involved a lot of outside people that were choreographed together.

Tim Dorsey gave a presentation on cost of contracts. We had an outside consultant from I believe the UMass Collins Center come in to review a lot of our things. So a lot of that coordination.

I'm not aware of where that was standing. So.

[Speaker 2] (1:00:35 - 1:00:54)
At what point would we have the seems like maybe by the end of January is that what you just said like both from the school side and the town side when we have our kind of first blush of. So by January is what the options are whether or not we're going to be able to stick with policy etc.

[Speaker 4] (1:00:56 - 1:01:41)
So by January 31st you'll have. The general fund budget less the school. To review.

From the town administrator standpoint. And then. By March by February 15th we'll have the school number.

I will say last year. With the new. Superintendent of Finance at the school the school committee did vote prior to that.

So we did have that number before the end of January last year. But I also know that this year is. A big.

Contingency here where we have. Very big collective bargaining coming up so. Figuring out what.

That unknown is going to be is. An added hurdle on both sides.

[Speaker 1] (1:01:41 - 1:02:25)
I think the issue last year and David correct me if I'm wrong but. The way it looked to me last year was that. He was the chair worked very hard with the chair of the school committee and.

You were all in agreement with what was going to work and then we ended up at town meeting. Because there was a difference. Of opinion on the school committee so.

I think. The best thing we can do is just try to work through. Any possible issues with their entire committee and just hope that there's better communication.

From the school committee. With the school committee I don't know how I should really phrase that but. I think that's what it.

Came from. We were.

[Speaker 3] (1:02:25 - 1:02:58)
Is it possible or does it make sense instead of. Like we had talked about this grand financial summit where we were all coming together and there was. An orchestration as you say.

Does it make sense to have a mini version of. If we can't sort of orchestrate all the. Pieces that we just.

Sort of bear it down a little so that we're at least. Opening the lines of communication between this board and the school committee so that. We could.

At least stifle arguments. Of. We weren't able to.

Get on the same page.

[Speaker 4] (1:02:59 - 1:03:25)
So. In my opinion because obviously. Guys.

But I think at this stage since. Both the school and the town are already developing their budgets. This.

Summit when it was originally discussed was going to happen well before. You know well before budget guidance memos went out well before all of that. I think at this stage.

We're going to have to be working with actual numbers.

[Speaker 16] (1:03:25 - 1:03:25)
Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (1:03:26 - 1:03:53)
At which point it probably makes sense either late February early March. To. Have that discussion most likely in February.

That way there's time to pivot for the town ministries recommended budget. But. Even so we know that we still have that.

Runway with the finance committee's recommended budget. But I think. We're going to have to work with actual numbers instead of.

You know. Forecasted numbers and see what's happening. So we'll have to.

[Speaker 2] (1:03:54 - 1:04:39)
The problem with that right though Amy I'm sorry is that then everyone's always starting to get baked. Right. I'm starting to take positions they've thought through things now it's too late.

You know we've said we've made arrangements negotiated. You said budget guidance documents. Yes.

So is. Like. For the town for the moment.

As far as I'm aware we haven't seen that. So. There's assumptions.

Baked into that already. Is there a reason why we can't be seeing that. And.

And ideally the school one too. At this point.

[Speaker 4] (1:04:40 - 1:04:40)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (1:04:40 - 1:04:46)
So that's some high level numbers you'd start to be able to do the math of like are we starting to like veer off course here already.

[Speaker 4] (1:04:47 - 1:05:35)
Yeah. I have not seen the school's guidance. So I don't want to speak for their right.

Our memo doesn't have numbers it just gives scenarios for how. They are supposed to develop their budget. So.

Last year's was level funded or a 10 percent decrease. This year it's level funded and then it's just. What is it going to take to run your department.

Because. We've had some department head saying that these flat numbers was making it hard for them to. Be able to within the budget.

Framework. Propose. You know.

Hey, if I had. An extra $5,000. I could do more community programming.

So that way we're actually. Thoughtfully allocating the money.

[Speaker 2] (1:05:35 - 1:05:41)
Okay. But that sounds like we have a. Level.

One that might be higher than level funded.

[Speaker 4] (1:05:42 - 1:05:48)
I've actually had some department head submit lower. In their optimum budget saying I don't need this. So.

[Speaker 2] (1:05:49 - 1:05:51)
Make sure you give them a gold star.

[Speaker 4] (1:05:51 - 1:05:54)
I know. Some of them are my favorites.

[Speaker 1] (1:05:55 - 1:06:22)
Okay. So. Getting back to the issues with the school.

Why don't. Why don't we see where we're at with this tri-chair meeting and. See where that's going to lead us.

And if there is a. A. Appetite for having a.

Bigger meeting or. Something. Mini-summit.

Mini-summit. Then let me have a conversation with them. And see what we can facilitate.

[Speaker 2] (1:06:23 - 1:06:26)
Or even at least a sharing of like what is their guidance. You know.

[Speaker 1] (1:06:27 - 1:06:28)
Even just a joint.

[Speaker 3] (1:06:28 - 1:06:30)
Meeting where we just discuss together.

[Speaker 18] (1:06:31 - 1:06:31)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (1:06:31 - 1:06:45)
It just feels like. It feels a little disjointed even. It's like a us and them situation.

Instead of an. Collaborative. Collaboration.

Right. So maybe even just a meeting where we all just come together. And have a conversation.

[Speaker 7] (1:06:46 - 1:06:46)
Where.

[Speaker 3] (1:06:47 - 1:06:47)
We're discussing.

[Speaker 7] (1:06:47 - 1:06:50)
Also. So we're all getting all the same information.

[Speaker 3] (1:06:50 - 1:06:50)
Yeah.

[Speaker 7] (1:06:51 - 1:07:09)
Equally. And. You know.

We can understand each person. You know. Because.

No disrespect to the tri-chair meetings. But it just really puts the burden on three people. When you're doing it that way.

As opposed to. What we saw last year. Which was.

You know. At town meeting. We.

We had. You know.

[Speaker 1] (1:07:09 - 1:08:04)
Someone that wasn't the chair of the school committee. You know. Have maybe a difference of opinion.

Well. What I saw last year. Was I saw.

A town administrator. And a superintendent. Worked very hard.

To come. And two chairs. Come to.

A very good budget. And then. You know.

You. You had an. You had an issue at town meeting.

So. The fact is. We.

We do have. Financial. Constraints.

And we do have to. Work within a budget. And.

You know. To Mr. Fitzgerald's credit. He.

He worked very, very hard. To make sure that. We controlled our spending.

And. We spend. A large amount of money.

In our. In our school budget. And.

We have to. We do have to work together. And.

We just have to have better communication. From what I heard. From the.

School committee. It was. It really came down to communication.

And I. Really understood. What they were saying.

Later. So. I think we can.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:04 - 1:08:08)
Then that's all the more reason. To make sure that we. Have.

A joint meeting.

[Speaker 1] (1:08:08 - 1:08:08)
That we're all.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:08 - 1:08:32)
So we can hear their concerns. Because. We did have a very.

Diligent. Superintendent. Town administrator.

And chairs. Working. For that budget.

And we still ended up in that position. At town meetings. So.

Exactly. This just goes to show that we can get there. Even with the best intentions.

And. People feeling like we've communicated. The utmost.

Yep. We still get there. And misinformation gets out.

And. People thought. A lot of different things.

At town meetings. So.

[Speaker 5] (1:08:33 - 1:08:40)
And. It wasn't just last year. That we've been there.

I think it's been. I think that was the third year. That that's.

That that's occurred. So.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:40 - 1:08:40)
Let's.

[Speaker 5] (1:08:41 - 1:08:44)
Let's talk about this. Let's have a one. Agenda.

Meeting.

[Speaker 1] (1:08:44 - 1:08:44)
Right.

[Speaker 5] (1:08:44 - 1:08:47)
Let's spend the. 90 minutes. I think that would be.

[Speaker 1] (1:08:47 - 1:08:49)
A good idea. Right. Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (1:08:49 - 1:08:52)
Whenever we need it. And let's. Yep.

Let's communicate. Over communicate.

[Speaker 1] (1:08:53 - 1:08:54)
Yep. All right.

[Speaker 5] (1:08:54 - 1:08:55)
So. Awesome.

[Speaker 1] (1:08:56 - 1:08:57)
Amy.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:59 - 1:09:16)
So are you all set? Mm hmm. So.

Can I just. Pull a Doug. And ask us to be very specific.

About when we hope that meeting might. January. January.

Okay. So. We'll.

Confirm with the. School. Committee that there.

Have a couple of days. Available in January.

[Speaker 1] (1:09:16 - 1:09:23)
Yes. Great. Mm hmm.

And it will sit outside of our. Regular meeting. And outside of their regular.

Meeting. Okay.

[Speaker 6] (1:09:24 - 1:09:24)
All right.

[Speaker 1] (1:09:25 - 1:09:32)
Okay. So. Moving ahead.

Thank you. Thank you, Amy.

[Speaker 4] (1:09:33 - 1:09:34)
It's okay. I'm the next one to.

[Speaker 1] (1:09:36 - 1:09:38)
Sorry. You had to step with me a little longer.

[Speaker 9] (1:09:39 - 1:09:53)
I just want. Can I mention one thing? Yep.

I just wanted to thank Amy. And Patrick. For their patience yesterday.

As all the questions they threw at him. During our meeting. For the revenue estimates.

So. Thanks for your patience.

[Speaker 4] (1:09:54 - 1:09:59)
I would also like to say that. Gino being an engineer. And understanding numbers.

I thought that was. Okay.

[Speaker 1] (1:10:02 - 1:10:05)
So now let's move to the ARPA updates.

[Speaker 4] (1:10:07 - 1:10:16)
Oh, hi. That's me again. Amy.

So. Two dates. So for.

[Speaker 1] (1:10:17 - 1:10:18)
Do you have that up on the screen?

[Speaker 4] (1:10:19 - 1:10:24)
I don't. I'm just reading from my notes at this point. Do we have it in our packet?

[Speaker 2] (1:10:24 - 1:10:25)
We don't.

[Speaker 4] (1:10:25 - 1:10:27)
No, we don't. No packet. No screen.

[Speaker 2] (1:10:27 - 1:10:31)
I think it's pretty important that we're looking at this.

[Speaker 1] (1:10:34 - 1:10:44)
Amy, can you put. Do you have anything you can put up on this? I am doing that right now.

[Speaker 4] (1:11:03 - 1:11:05)
I'm just trying to make it. On the screen.

[Speaker 7] (1:11:20 - 1:11:22)
Okay. Thank you.

[Speaker 4] (1:11:24 - 1:12:40)
Thank you. Okay. Thank you.

Okay, so here are the votes that were taken I scrolled down a little bit just because all the stuff in green at the top was Voted long ago, and the money is long spent So if it's okay with the board, I'm just gonna go straight down starting with the first So The 30,000 for the Glover Diane, could you make that larger? That's me. Oh, sorry, Amy Can people at home see this That works, okay, thank you So the 30,000 for the Glover there is An agreement with structures north that the account administrator was supposed to sign.

We are still trying to locate that signed copy But for the Glover, yes, the 30,000 of the Glover.

[Speaker 2] (1:12:42 - 1:12:52)
I May even have a copy. I'm not sure. Okay, double check.

Yeah, Nancy was able to get me begun that work I know I have a couple invoices from them.

[Speaker 4] (1:12:52 - 1:13:07)
Yeah, so the structure North not have a copy Okay Yeah, Nancy was able to forward it to me within the last week but hers is the unsigned Structured North would not do the work unless it had a signed.

[Speaker 3] (1:13:07 - 1:13:08)
Yes contract.

[Speaker 2] (1:13:08 - 1:13:52)
So maybe we could just reach out to them so for my purposes, I am considering this obligated because I'm Confident that a signed one exists and what are they doing exactly would just refresh our memory they are doing the detailed analysis of The outside and inside structure They got inside. I don't know a bunch of months ago and did all the generated a Initial report, I don't know 20 pages or whatever every beam every wall But you know keep a bowl what's not in case they want to take it down exactly What no matter whether or not you kind of reinforce it and you're building from there or you're taking it down This is be the roadmap basically to what you need

[Speaker 1] (1:13:53 - 1:13:57)
Okay And hold on and what's their ETA of finishing that?

[Speaker 2] (1:13:58 - 1:14:33)
Well, that's all depends on access. So Based on some recent discussions, hopefully that will be in the next couple months Okay, and if they can't finish it What happens with that money Then some of it would go unspent I Have a reasonable level of confidence that they will be able to complete that work is do we have is there?

[Speaker 1] (1:14:33 - 1:14:54)
Any possibility that we can reclassify this calling it? Glover historic and get some other backup in there Underhistoric. Is there anything we can do here that That we have some type of backup and we have a little bit more flexibility in the title The title doesn't matter Okay, it's fine contract.

[Speaker 3] (1:14:54 - 1:15:13)
Yes, the actual contract sign contract But can you have a backup contract? No, no, you have to have all your yeah So if we have a contract signed for approximately 30,000 if they only spend 29,000 You don't get to have a backup $1,000 contract so we can spend it off.

[Speaker 4] (1:15:13 - 1:16:49)
No, and there is I did speak with the state on this and there is the tiniest bit of flexibility that if you have a contract for 30,000 and say your total invoice is coming at 29,500 and You shift that 500 on to something else that you already obligated They're not gonna the ARPA police aren't coming back. No Okay, but they did emphasize like very small amounts they're like if it's like a thousand or under We don't care. But yeah, if you're shifting like $50,000, we're we're gonna Fisherman's Beach that is all obligated The Glover first sixty four thousand five five five I have Twenty four thousand five hundred in Quotes grant matching And signed agreements right now so I Yeah, so I have ten that I have ten thousand in a quote for a tarp to go over the building I have five thousand in a match a grant match for National Historic Trust and then I have 10,000 in Alpine residential abatement and structural conditions with asbestos

[Speaker 1] (1:16:50 - 1:17:21)
That's 25. Yes, so, you know this comes Doug I think I think what I'm So I just I'm a little concerned that We don't have this money We don't have this money locked up. We don't know really I Don't know we don't really don't know where we're going with this I'm concerned about losing money.

[Speaker 3] (1:17:21 - 1:17:47)
That's all yeah Well, so I guess if there are signed contracts for 25,000 and to Doug's point from the other Glover I assume that holds water for this Glover that you have a reasonable expectation to believe that 25 is going to be spent And we already have signed contracts. We're really just talking about like 30 39 just under 30 just under 40,000 we Well, but do we also have a real?

[Speaker 1] (1:17:47 - 1:17:52)
I mean like what? What are our chances of something happening here?

[Speaker 2] (1:17:52 - 1:20:05)
I mean, I think All those things that you just mentioned that she's you know, Nancy's been working on with Margie as well Feel free to comment whatever you want to say at Margie, obviously So all those things still fit in the same category that I said before that additional 29 or 25 fits in that same 30 That's a very reasonable, you know, Gina was there in a recent conversation as well. No guarantee. It's not a guarantee But I think a reasonable expectation that we're gonna have cooperation to be able to do these early steps.

I will say that I think The Property owner now sees that some of these steps that we take the sooner we take them the more we find out The better prepared we will be to move if needed Sooner which is helpful to The owner and potential developers, so there's kind of a different thinking now about these initial steps You know then the next chunk of that 64 is the one that's there's I Think you could cast it in the same trying to be a liaison in the Historic Commission right now You could cast it as there's a similar Reasonableness that you will spend those funds, but we do not have a specific Contract that they will be spent for at this point So that's really more the issue You know that I don't think I think given the time it would take some Focus and creativity to find a way to kind of lock that money up And it would have to be kind of a general contract to say We know there's gonna we're gonna need someone either whether the structure's north or someone else that is going to be able to effectuate reinforcement of the building not just study but actual reinforcement of the building or Disassembly of the building and that's the kind of contract that we do not have in place to do that work even though Highly likely that that will be needed

[Speaker 1] (1:20:07 - 1:20:20)
So, what do we do to ensure that we can not lose that money Or do we say in the do we have a plan B in the event? It doesn't look like we're gonna have that money just move it into

[Speaker 4] (1:20:20 - 1:20:36)
The sewer I think for plan B I know that everyone was probably hoping this was the last meeting of calendar 24 But if the board wants to do a virtual meeting for December 30th to revote

[Speaker 1] (1:20:36 - 1:20:42)
Just in case why can't the board vote right now put a condition to a conditional

[Speaker 3] (1:20:43 - 1:20:44)
to say

[Speaker 1] (1:20:44 - 1:20:57)
If this doesn't happen by X we allocate that we go to Whatever you can do that. I'll see so that you are keeping the window open for historic, but if it looks like

[Speaker 4] (1:20:58 - 1:21:28)
We can't make it We can jump on plan B I would just ask that the vote the vote be specific to say if contracts are not in my office signed by a date Got you ideally not on the 31st Because especially if we're shifting it to sewer work, I know You know can easily get a contract for the additional sewer work

[Speaker 1] (1:21:32 - 1:21:38)
And maybe not okay, what else is I've already made a proposal I'm in action

[Speaker 6] (1:21:42 - 1:22:02)
Talked about the item 22 align a 22 resiliency project tomorrow Tomorrow is the bid opening. So I know that we allocated two hundred thousand dollars, but we don't know what the final number would be so I would Encourage you maybe you know, it could go over it could be under so we don't know that was the estimate But we're not quite sure.

[Speaker 7] (1:22:02 - 1:22:07)
We'll know tomorrow after 11 o'clock So we potentially have more money in flux. Is that what we're saying?

[Speaker 1] (1:22:12 - 1:22:19)
So, are we are we saying that if the climate the resiliency comes so this is on the resiliency consultant

[Speaker 4] (1:22:19 - 1:22:24)
No, the last line there was the last line project for project and then ignore the grant match

[Speaker 1] (1:22:25 - 1:22:29)
Okay, so are we gonna need we could take a motion on that tonight as well, too

[Speaker 3] (1:22:30 - 1:22:42)
No, it's gonna get real sticky, right cuz yeah, okay borrow big from this borrow from that what happens here What happens there and if we need real data or has too much right then what so, right?

[Speaker 7] (1:22:44 - 1:22:53)
We need sadly we need a meeting on the 30th in real data, I mean I could think of a way you could Assuming things are left.

[Speaker 2] (1:22:53 - 1:23:21)
We could take a vote right now to reallocate them to whatever we decide to reallocate them It's more if it's more than maybe I mean we have to come back or or we give some range right now to go ahead So while we're pondering that on the climate action resiliency consultant much to my chagrin It looks like we're only gonna spend $25,000 That's correct.

[Speaker 4] (1:23:21 - 1:23:23)
That's what I have committed for that, right? So we have 50.

[Speaker 1] (1:23:24 - 1:23:25)
So we have 50 there. Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (1:23:25 - 1:24:04)
Yeah I Would also like to say that the Pine Street due to the carrying costs did go 112 thousand over So maybe that's where we put the yeah extra to net that one out The redevelopment of the housing feasibility study the housing authority did vote for that so I am In talks with their chair to get the signed agreement for that so that 50,000 is On its way to be committed. So hold on. So that's you 50,000.

[Speaker 1] (1:24:04 - 1:24:09)
Mm-hmm So you have we will have a feasibility study. Mm-hmm. Sure.

[Speaker 4] (1:24:09 - 1:24:42)
Yes Yeah, I have In my many Pages Massachusetts partnership for housing they were recommended by EO HLC Please don't ask me what that stands for To do a study on the cherry sheet property So they are going to spend that the two issues that need to be addressed as a land infrastructure survey as well as an environmental History study. So both of those will be done for the 50,000 and I will get the Paperwork drawn up with the housing authority.

[Speaker 1] (1:24:42 - 1:24:51)
And so what does that actually mean? Like what is the what is the results of these studies? What are we looking?

Who's personally David? You're the liaison, right? What does that mean?

[Speaker 5] (1:24:53 - 1:24:54)
What is it? What is like?

[Speaker 1] (1:24:54 - 1:24:56)
What are we what are we really getting from this?

[Speaker 5] (1:24:56 - 1:25:50)
How is this going to improve the Well, you basically have to do a feasibility study before you can look at potential development of our public housing stock So it was the decision of the of the chair Mr. Patsios as well as the executive director. Mr. Johnson to to look at to focus on those on the Cherry Street Family units first and foremost. Okay, that's where the greatest need is and that's and that's where there may be the greatest flexibility to potentially Potentially add units and if you have these types of reports then you're you need to play in the next round Basically, right No, I do want to spend it no, I know you don't like this Just sit on the shelf and right I like studies that work Okay good Amy could I ask you to maybe?

[Speaker 7] (1:25:51 - 1:25:59)
Just make notes where that 112 is next to each of these Categories that we're under so that we get kind of like a running tally.

[Speaker 2] (1:25:59 - 1:26:08)
Yes Well, we have this public health bucket of 122,000 That may be able to take care of that whole thing.

[Speaker 18] (1:26:08 - 1:26:08)
Oh sure.

[Speaker 7] (1:26:08 - 1:26:10)
Yeah, but I just wanted to see it.

[Speaker 2] (1:26:10 - 1:26:13)
Oh the other thing Yeah, okay other lines that we're here. We plug it.

[Speaker 3] (1:26:14 - 1:26:26)
No It's we're spending an additional 25 on top of the time or we're only spending 25 for climate action Just 25 total.

[Speaker 6] (1:26:26 - 1:26:37)
Yes, so we already 50 15 I mean 75.

[Speaker 3] (1:26:37 - 1:26:39)
Yeah, we're only spending 25.

[Speaker 4] (1:26:39 - 1:26:51)
So nothing there Sorry, my little team thing is actually blocking that column for me Townwide economic development study.

[Speaker 2] (1:26:51 - 1:26:54)
We're basically using all that up Margie.

[Speaker 4] (1:26:55 - 1:27:11)
Yes Like 5,000 left I have 10,000 left. So I have a $5,000 Contract with Baker Tilly. Yes, that's all I have.

You have how much left with Baker Tilly? I have a $50,000 commitment with Baker Tilly of the 60.

[Speaker 6] (1:27:11 - 1:27:35)
So I have 10,000 left The what Separate No, the appraisal should have gone in there Okay, so that has not been I have not paid process that payment yet, we know how much it's for It's under 3,000.

[Speaker 7] (1:27:35 - 1:27:47)
I think Okay Okay, so public health What about the ms4?

[Speaker 4] (1:27:48 - 1:28:02)
Is that all committed ms4 is completely committed? If it is a sewer project, you know committed it as soon as you guys voted it But just says you're a spent but that's because the invoice hasn't three up.

[Speaker 7] (1:28:02 - 1:28:06)
Okay, okay Public health projects the big bucket.

[Speaker 4] (1:28:06 - 1:28:06)
Yeah.

[Speaker 7] (1:28:06 - 1:28:07)
Yes big huge bucket.

[Speaker 4] (1:28:07 - 1:30:17)
So the Public health bucket They have committed all but $9.35 of their bucket so the majority of it The majority of it went through RFP and a $90,000 contract was awarded for mental health for group therapy and online support groups So they will be offering on-site group therapy On-site support groups for Swampscott residents ages 18 and older in Swampscott in order to address the ongoing Mental health challenges faced due to the kovat 19 pandemic including trauma loss grease caregiver stress social social isolation stress and burnout they will also provide Mindfulness support group at Swampscott High School for interested high school students to be held weekly after school throughout the school year And this will run from January 2025 through December 1st, 2026 Yes, and for anything that references the school the health department has already spoken with the superintendent and gotten that coordinated So do we know what the other? 32,000 yes, so there will be Mental health Support groups, sorry mental health programs for Presidents 18 and older so they'll be community meditation programs Triple-p positive programming through aspire Mindful parenting and stress reduction series trauma-informed trainings twice of which There'll be three series of that two will be for the faculty and staff at Swampscott Public Schools And one will be available for community members there will also be a Mental health and wellness speaker series that the health department will be putting on and then Very small amount four hundred and eighty nine dollars of which will be spent on the composting initiatives

[Speaker 3] (1:30:19 - 1:30:26)
There's no issue with the funds being spent at the school because of the I thought we couldn't spend it on the school because of Esther.

[Speaker 4] (1:30:26 - 1:30:54)
We can't give it to the school Okay, we working together so similar with the opioid funds got it like great You can't give it to anyone, but they can partner with whoever They need to so originally they did want to do a reading program with the school, but after speaking with the superintendent they Realized that would not be a valuable impact to the school in the way that it could be done And that was where these initiatives came from

[Speaker 2] (1:30:55 - 1:31:01)
So that last List that you just read was this stuff of the additional thirty thousand dollars.

[Speaker 4] (1:31:02 - 1:31:02)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 2] (1:31:02 - 1:31:08)
Yeah, so they have It's all sounds kind of the same But just two different contracts or something.

[Speaker 4] (1:31:08 - 1:31:35)
Yeah, so I have Contracts assigned agreements for all but nine dollars and thirty five cents of that hundred nine dollars Okay The Yeah, and then as Margie said the resiliency projects we have the bid opening tomorrow and We was timeline on that

[Speaker 6] (1:31:37 - 1:31:50)
Plan is to award the bid by next week review all the references for the consultants tomorrow afternoon Hopefully and Monday and Tuesday check-in and definitely award the contract by the last week of December

[Speaker 1] (1:31:51 - 1:31:57)
And you feel pretty confident. We're gonna have a number of people looking at yes, we did have several

[Speaker 6] (1:31:57 - 1:32:01)
Consultants who pulled the the bid and we already received one proposal

[Speaker 3] (1:32:03 - 1:32:05)
We just don't know if it's going

[Speaker 6] (1:32:08 - 1:32:20)
Well, so the bid opening will take place tomorrow so right now everything is that the one proposal that we received it's still sealed tomorrow But at least we have the one proposal so whatever it is, right at least I'll be

[Speaker 4] (1:32:20 - 1:32:49)
At least 16,000 under Yeah, I Will say with all the procurement that we've dealt with most of those bids walk in an hour or two before Okay, so I will keep the board informed I will email you as I have updates Please do not reply just a summary.

[Speaker 1] (1:32:49 - 1:32:51)
So we're we're we're just short.

[Speaker 3] (1:32:51 - 1:33:15)
Here's 16 2 3 8 Sure, I mean otherwise we have to have a meeting to talk about it, right because we can't we either have to find $16,238 to meet the needs of this Overage or we have to move it from another spot.

[Speaker 4] (1:33:15 - 1:33:35)
Mm-hmm. Yeah, I will say Because we've already closed on Pine Street, so we've already paid that there are the two the tarp for the lover And the asbestos I I have seen the quotes.

[Speaker 1] (1:33:35 - 1:34:19)
I have not received signed ones So, I don't know if those are moving forward or not Okay, so it looks like we might have to have a virtual meeting by the end of Like I'm at the end of the month. So alright, so we'll just go play up here if we have to Thank you, Amy, thank you a lot of good stuff I just have one quick question on the Pine Street. We Have we already absorbed in last year's?

last year's Accounts any of the legal fees?

[Speaker 4] (1:34:19 - 1:34:44)
Is there a chance that that's not even that wouldn't even hit ARPA? Some of the legal costs in FY 24 hit the legal budget in FY 24 general fund and did not hit the ARPA What are we counting it towards ARPA here? Charged to our okay.

Okay. I will do a full accounting report your total cost.

[Speaker 3] (1:34:44 - 1:35:24)
Okay Thank you Public health office for all the work to spend those funds in a very meaningful way Working with the schools working with the schools the purpose of ARPA was to sort of fill gaps that happened because of kovat and This is exactly what does that in a true way for adults for teens for? School system, so I just want to say thank you for for them for doing that And that shout out should go to our public health America Mia Ellingworth.

[Speaker 4] (1:35:24 - 1:35:43)
She spent so much time and Stressed so much trying to make sure that she was really stretching these dollars to give the most community impact And really spread it over the full-time way that we can spend that money Okay Thank you, Amy.

[Speaker 1] (1:35:43 - 1:37:24)
So next on our agenda is a discussion on the st. John's parking lot we just have a little handout here just so people can follow along and I just want to start by saying Following our meeting in May it was a large meeting of the large open meeting for the town after the library proposal hit We promised our town administrator promised that we would have more public meetings the reason why we didn't form a committee or have more public meetings was because we Had the opportunity to start to talk to Monsignor McLaughlin at st. John's We are in the process of negotiating an opportunity negotiating to buy that parking lot we have an opportunity and That's why everything slowed down The reason being is if we have an opportunity to buy the parking lot and combine both of those lots It looks like we would be able to Accomplish everything that had been discussed at all the open meeting So Margie is just going to walk us through what a timeline would look like. This is just a discussion so we can We can just get it out there we will be continuing to have executive sessions to discuss discuss the deal with the Monsignor and the archdiocese, but I Think this will this will be great for the town Absolutely, thank you, Mary Ellen Go ahead Margie.

[Speaker 6] (1:37:24 - 1:37:37)
Oh, just just quickly. I wanted to remind everybody The process that we sir, please, please sit down, sir Please sit down and leave Please sit down.

[Speaker 1] (1:37:37 - 1:37:56)
Did you ask your friend to leave? Please leave sir Thank you, please leave sir. Thank you, sir Please leave, please Thank you, sir Please leave Please leave.

[Speaker 6] (1:37:56 - 1:43:41)
Thank you. Please leave advance to the next slide. I just I would have Margie I'm sorry brief just to go through the process today just to remind everybody what has happened for over the past couple of years and where we are in the Redevelopment of the Hawthorne or at least having the continual a discussion for the redevelopment of the Hawthorne So as you can see in April of 22 town meeting approved Acquisition and funding for the Hawthorne December of that year the town meeting actually took a vote and acquired the Hawthorne parcel and the town retained the services of HDR architects to assist us with the Redevelopment or the renderings of the parcel in January We had an amazing idea exchange where we had over 400 individuals who attended and really shared their ideas for the parcel and to begin the The thought process in regards to the best and the highest use for the for the parcel and to hear what should be Located on this site in April our consultant presented us with three scenarios All of them showed somewhat diverse concept, but each of them included an open space concept some of them had architectural poor Architectural features others did not and in Maine and in May of this year We did sort of nail Scale down the three scenarios into a concept for a library As you know, the library concept was less than enthusiastic in regards to the feedback that we received from our residents So therefore we wanted to go back as Mary Ellen had stated to really have a more aggressive Public participatory process to really look at the redevelopment of the site if we can go to the next slide Diane So now the next steps in regards to engage our community in the redevelopment process We had outlined our five phase approached. The first one is to request a select board To establish or create a nine-member committee that would really assist with With the public process and our recommendation or our request would be to have two members From the community committee be from the planning board to from finance committee one member from open space and or conservation commission and then for residents that would have Professional backgrounds either in architecture or engineering this group would really guide us into the next phase would be the second phase that would really look at the Redevelopment process look what we have established so far. Where are we in regards to the plans really try to Digest them a little bit more and then go back and we look at the ideas find out. What are the critical?

Issues that we really wanted to take away from the process that has this has occurred to date We'll look at generating additional ideas combining some ideas maybe Really have a clear Outcome in regards to to what's the plan? What is it that we want? So really a place phase two would be a place for us to look where we have been and sort of like What is it that we want?

We will also Task this advisory committee to develop a plan of actions this way We will know sort of into going into phase two and three and four to find out how do we narrow down the idea options because I think that that was one issue when we Narrow down from the three concepts to the lunch library. I think that community of the committee Community I should say all the residents felt like something maybe might have been lost and again each of the phases will have a Really thoughtful public participatory process and a firm where people again can share ideas. Look what we have done And really advance the project.

So again, phase three would be just now about I'm down the ideas share all of the findings through the public process phase four would be to secure this design team to really be able to have a Contract drawings and really a document where we are ready to bid find what is the the outcome of the process that we wanted to develop and start construction and obviously face by five would be the Completion of the project and a ribbon-cutting and like Mary Ellen like you stated I think that you know the acquisition of the parking lot would really Assist with the spatial needs of the area because I think that we've heard from a lot of residents in regards to You know, geez, I wish that we could have additional features or you know We want to see architectural features or other things and hopefully having a little bit more Land could assist with with the process One thing I also did want to mention is that there are grant fundings that are available for acquisition of parkland There is a next round of funding is this coming up January January 9th is the deadline for submission We could have a could or communities are eligible to apply for up to a million dollars in funding for acquisitions unfortunately this year, we're not able to apply for it because we don't we will not be able to Procure a An appraisal for the site. It has to be a certain appraisal called the yellow book appraisal Which is a federal appraisal because this will be federal funding. They'll become an LA There will be next year in the earlier part of the year as well as later During the year.

There'll be the same round of funding will be available in coming up.

[Speaker 1] (1:43:42 - 1:43:54)
So I have a quick question if we Were able to get a yellow book appraisal Is the deadline if we were able to get one between now and January 7th, will we still qualify?

[Speaker 6] (1:43:55 - 1:44:11)
Unfortunately, we will not because the the the state staff that reviews them. They will not have enough time to review the yellow book appraisal What's who's the state staff? Executive, it's Melissa client from the executive office of energy and environmental affairs

[Speaker 1] (1:44:13 - 1:44:15)
Can have Doug call it I

[Speaker 6] (1:44:17 - 1:44:22)
Mean I think they're very they're sort of very clear in regards to You know

[Speaker 2] (1:44:27 - 1:45:17)
Questions yeah, I'm kind of confused about this to be honest Because We don't know what's gonna happen with the church parking lot We don't really have a good idea whether or not that's a good idea or not And yet we're gonna see the committee That Won't know that information. I mean even if we thought it was a good idea Need money from town meetings until May so I guess I just don't understand kind of like the the timing of this and Then I have other thoughts about this committee when it's seated, but I guess that's the first thing that I don't Understand how we can move this forward right now.

[Speaker 1] (1:45:17 - 1:46:11)
So memorizing Okay, so I can answer that so We are finalizing our negotiations with the church and I think that we need to start discussing how to move forward and To have more community involvement. So what we could do is we could say Let's see a committee to get opinions and we could test the committee to looking at it If we were to buy if we were to purchase that what would the outcome be? For two plots together or What would it be if we only had one plot?

Just the Hawthorne, but I think that by putting a committee together we can start getting feedback Information and start moving this ball ball forward And I think that you know You know, it's important just this this is just a record. This is just a recommendation.

[Speaker 2] (1:46:11 - 1:46:38)
So whatever your input is just I Can I think I can roll with that what you just said so in terms of the people on the committee Is your intention to like literally decide this tonight and no to be soliciting? People like right away or is this kind of like we're just putting us out there We're gonna mull it over and we're gonna come back next meeting or whatever and think about the I

[Speaker 1] (1:46:38 - 1:46:57)
Think what we should do is put it out there and let people start sending in applications you know, whatever anybody who's interested just start to build a database on who's interested in getting on to this committee and then bring it back and let's Let's start talking in public

[Speaker 2] (1:46:58 - 1:47:43)
Last thing I'd say and then I'll shut up is that I think there's a little bit of imbalance here Like the planning board like the Finance Committee I respect the concom kind of criticality in that particular zone there. I think that's a almost a requirement the resident experts Love open space, but I think it needs to be a balance with I mean if that you know The fundamental crucible here right is like how much open space how much economic activity on that space, right? So I think either you don't have a vested interest at all in those two camps or you have kind of like one of each So you're saying have to So, what are you?

[Speaker 1] (1:47:43 - 1:47:43)
What are you saying?

[Speaker 2] (1:47:44 - 1:48:12)
You either add someone? That's kind of a you know Like maximize or like have it be a high revenue producing area Or you don't have the open space person there because you just let all these kind of technical experts basically kind of facilitators You just want to have so you want to have more balance Margie do you recall how many folks were on the Hadley reduced committee?

[Speaker 6] (1:48:13 - 1:48:32)
That was a really large committee Like 20 over 20 over 20, but that they also don't remember how they broke up into the Totally understand, but even if it was over say it was 24 that means if they broke down into even numbered groups, there was eight people in each group.

[Speaker 3] (1:48:32 - 1:49:37)
So I Don't think the committee's big enough and I think that to have only four residents experts and to sort of If I think we should definitely have resident experts in architecture and engineering. I think we should try to find a grant writer so Margie's not doing this all on her own so she has somebody to have a sounding board to bounce ideas off of and then I think I Think sometimes the problem with seating committees is that we pulled from other committees Members right and that there's no new people involved And so we get into this cycle of the same folks making the same decisions and then the people who aren't involved say well We never got a chance to be involved because it just came from these other subsections So I do think that we need to have two or more just open seats So regardless of their expertise if they have They live in town and they're interested in being on this committee.

They should be able to apply and get on the committee.

[Speaker 1] (1:49:37 - 1:49:37)
Okay?

[Speaker 6] (1:49:40 - 1:49:43)
Sounds good. So do you think a committee of 11 members?

[Speaker 3] (1:49:49 - 1:50:55)
For a person who has to vote or form if you break out into groups, it's not even so I'll work with Diana Jody to advertise And then I think the other issue with creating committees is they get created and then they don't have direction So we should we should be clear. We should think about and be very clear to them going forward from here what we hope they might accomplish not how or what but not what like in the end the solution but sort of like the parameters the guardrails to be like You know, we want them to engage the public at least three times. We want them to you know Some of our guidelines for them so that we can set them up to be successful Yeah Thank you Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (1:50:55 - 1:52:27)
Yeah, so just so a few things First off. I think this is a an interesting idea. It's a good idea.

I Still, you know, we we did spend money on a consultant and had a head of report one of the things that I was trying to get out of that report was You know, what what do we have like if we are potentially to combine these parcels that we do not already have With the Hawthorne. I think that question remains unanswered. I don't think we need to see the committee To learn that information, but I would like to I would like to have you know, some of that information Available and if Baker Tilley can help us get to that answer sooner rather than later, I think that will only help give This committee direction furthermore last month we passed the CPA in Swampskate So I just want to go on record saying that I I believe that this would be a great.

We haven't even seen at the CP CPC the community preservation committee as of as of yet, but I think that the CPA funds would be a great source of Fun of funding for the potential acquisition of this parking lot Should the committee decide that this that they want to move forward in that form and fashion so I just want to go on record as saying that I look forward to learning more from Baker Tilley and I'm glad to have this conversation is Baker Tilley still open

[Speaker 6] (1:52:27 - 1:52:40)
I mean we have so we have I need to follow up with Doug because we do have a Copy of a draft report that wanted to review and I'm happy to if you think we should if it's available I'll share it with

[Speaker 1] (1:52:45 - 1:52:51)
So everybody see the report so if people have more questions or requests like David had

[Speaker 3] (1:52:56 - 1:54:16)
The other I just had another thought That's okay.

Give me eyes, but I still have it. Oh, no. Yeah So I brought up grant writers because obviously one way we could subsidize some of the cost of this is your grants but we should also have somebody I know finance committees on here, but if there's anybody else who wants to volunteer to be on this committee related to municipal finance like one of the reasons that the library was Worth looking at was because there was a function to pay for it in a large scale to build it to there was a state aid to pay to get it done and I'm not saying that should be the driver for this committee like only because somebody else is gonna pay for it We should do it But it has to be a thought process because they can come up with a beautiful plan and if we can't execute it within our financial Constraints then what's the point? So and whether that means we have a conversation Within the plan to say, okay, is this financially feasible? And if it's not financially feasible it fulfills something the community needs so much So that we don't care that it's not financially feasible in the guardrails and we'll work that part out or we You know really try to say These are the boundaries that we know of right now exist and we're gonna want to stay within those boundaries

[Speaker 18] (1:54:18 - 1:54:19)
Okay

[Speaker 7] (1:54:19 - 1:55:06)
So I have a couple comments So we had the we had a community forum about this in this room Probably I think it was June the beginning of the summer and it was Very well attended. So I think we're probably three months too late in getting this off the ground. I think it's really Incumbent upon us to get this moving because I think that the people that attended the residents that attended made it very clear that While they weren't happy with the library proposal They were they had opinions and they were very interested in what happens to this property And I think that it's just been languishing kind of sitting there and it's been on the back burner and I think it really Should be a focal point right now.

[Speaker 1] (1:55:06 - 1:55:48)
So I think it's However, we decide to you know, whatever this come this committee is comprised of ultimately we can't keep kicking it down the road We need to really action it I just want to be really clear we had We have been negotiating With the with the church to get to the point we're at and we're we're pretty close right now so to have started committees and Gone a different direction. It would have been a little bit a little bit too quick, but I think We need to go right away, I'm 100% on board with my point is not about the additional lot

[Speaker 7] (1:55:48 - 1:56:14)
It's about that actual property the hotline itself And while we have you know been in discussion, you know about the adjacent lot My point is that Hawthorne property has been sitting there and we need to really focus on whether it's by itself or with the lot we just need to get this get people seated figure out how we're gonna do it and start getting the community input that we need because It's it was certainly a big concern when we had that first forum.

[Speaker 1] (1:56:14 - 1:56:17)
It was Okay

[Speaker 6] (1:56:26 - 1:56:33)
Okay, so Okay So moving along

[Speaker 1] (1:56:34 - 1:56:46)
Now we move to discussion and possible possible vote to approve the land disposition agreement around lease for 10 new Ocean Street and 1224 Pine Streets

[Speaker 5] (1:56:50 - 1:57:16)
This is now Madam chair, I'd like to make a motion I move the land development agreement be adjusted to reflect the preference of the FW post 1240 with the VFW post 1240 remaining at 10 new Ocean Street and approximately 40 units of Affordable housing with veterans preference be constructed solely on the 12 to 24 Pine Street parcel

[Speaker 1] (1:57:18 - 1:57:19)
Do you have a second

[Speaker 2] (1:57:21 - 1:57:24)
For discussion discussion

[Speaker 5] (1:57:27 - 2:03:06)
So Yeah, so tonight once again we have the land development agreement on our agenda You know, we didn't make a motion but signing the land development agreement as presented and relocating the post To reach arts with no existing zoning. No money. No parking at reach arts.

No discussion with with reach arts Neighbors, no support from the VFW and no plan Highlights or low lights what the select board has in front of them. Hence my motion I cannot for the life of me figure out how this is a good idea Don't want to point fingers tonight, but I want to work on solutions to the problem last weekend. I met with veterans Twice once on Saturday and again in a membership meeting with the VFW on Sunday with my colleague Doug Thompson No time did anyone in the VFW leadership express excitement or support to move to reach arts on anything other than a temporary basis hard stop It is and continues to be a preference of the VFW to remain in their post the post they built themselves with their money The post they were able to secure by transferring five buildable lots in the Foster's Dam area of Swampskate to the town The same town which is now considering Removing the veterans from their post as a board We should do everything we can do to accommodate what I consider to be a very reasonable request from VFW leadership absent that the original RFP response from the developer included a 1,500 square foot plus or minus New post as well as meeting spaces and offices and upon careful consideration from the VFW membership They believe the original response to the RFP May be workable and viable for them Additionally the select board had previously approved this plan Which then started the negotiation of the land development agreement with the developer been a breath in the first place that should be noted the VFW is giving considerably as You know in in the in the other scenario the new space would be smaller than what they currently have But they do want to work collaboratively with the town the opinion of the VFW and the veterans was solicited by the select board and they've spoken and provided us with a letter in Writing stating That they are adamant that a permanent move to 89 Burrill Street is not a viable option We should listen VFW wants to make the veterans housing project work however, it seems that some members of this board are characterizing the choices pro veterans affordable housing versus the VFW post and Attempting to drive a wedge between housing advocates and veterans, which is completely unacceptable Relocating the post against the will of the veterans away from the veterans housing project does more far more harm than good and is counterintuitive to having the post housing and services all in one location That's the option that was originally presented to the select board and beneath breaths original RFP response The move to reach arts is fraught with issues last Saturday we toured the building with Gino Cresta Marsy Golaska members of VFW leadership as well as Doug Dubin and architect Ryan Connor Looking at only the addition of an elevator a full update of electrical and added sprinklers The cost to bring the building in the compliance would be a minimum of a half a million bucks If not more likely more And while the building is kind of sort of Handicap accessible in the basement. It's not fully 88 compliant Making it fully fully 88 compliant would again cost additional time and additional money This is not without any other additions accommodations or improvements on site to make the structure remotely viable Also, the 800 pound gorilla is the utter lack of parking on site or on the street Which will be an enormous problem certainly a bigger issue if this arrangement is made permanent All of which Furthermore with the construction all of which was have to occur with a partner the town of Swampskate Who has not lived up to any of its past promises concerning the veterans?

Why would this time be any different from my first row seat? honestly, I don't believe it would be and Is this even possible from a zoning perspective? The buildings located in our planned development district at PDD which allows by right one to three units of housing The adjacent zoning of parcels around the recharts building is a 2 and a 4 which does not allow for club lodges or fraternal organizations in a 2 or a 4 even by special permit Essentially a vote tonight in favor of the LDA as presented in our packets Could make these veterans and VFW post 1240 homeless Veterans the irony of all ironies as we're attempting to construct veteran senior housing without a coherent plan to relocate the existing post My position has not changed. I'm completely against moving the veteran their existing post against their will Both both the post and the veterans housing can coexist on pine tree per the developer. It is feasible and viable We Doug Thompson and myself spoke to the developer and this can happen However, it should be noted The developer has extreme pressure applied by the chair to move forward with the plan as presented in our packet this evening Which in my view is not in the best interest of the veterans or the town as a whole with a cost of redevelopment and repositioning and construction in recharts that to date is unquantifiable I Would welcome the opportunity of my colleague Doug Thompson to walk us through the options

[Speaker 1] (2:03:09 - 2:03:27)
Hold on a minute while we're having a conversation. You just made a comment. You just made a comment that is That there's pressure from the chair, I'm sorry David But you need to stop attacking my character and making things up.

You've got to stop lying out there

[Speaker 5] (2:03:27 - 2:04:04)
very on Ariana, I wish I was I wish I were I wish I were telling I wish this was a lie I had a call with with Yara and with with Holly Grace and with Doug on the phone on the call and They told us in no uncertain terms that you you you had called and you had said that if you did if if the developer did not go down the path that you were recommending that your That your support was going to be pulled from this project as well as the support of the former chair of the planning board That was said by the that was said by the neighbor I'm sorry

[Speaker 1] (2:04:09 - 2:04:14)
So that's then they said something that wasn't that was completely false so

[Speaker 3] (2:04:18 - 2:04:22)
Can I just get clarity before Doug starts, yeah, what is your motion?

[Speaker 5] (2:04:24 - 2:04:39)
My motion is that the LDA be reflected to adjust the preference of the VFW post 1240 With the post remaining at 10 new Ocean Street with approximately 40 units of housing Veterans preference to be constructed solely at 12 to 24 Pine Street.

[Speaker 3] (2:04:39 - 2:05:04)
So is your motion to I? Mean the veterans came forward or the post I'm sorry issued a letter Right, which said that they were looking for more space and more units less units and more space So is that your motion or is back to the original? Viable option Benet presented to keep the post inside at 15 ish.

No, it's it's even another Situation.

[Speaker 2] (2:05:04 - 2:05:17)
It's the one the vets came up with basically keep the post as is. Yep, literally And the bit the option of just building on one lot. Yes.

Yes That's the motion. Yes.

[Speaker 3] (2:05:17 - 2:05:20)
Yep. Keep the post in its spot put it on one line

[Speaker 2] (2:05:25 - 2:09:35)
so I'll see that You know, it's understandable why you have the question because you know, we've had various discussions about trying to figure out the path here and so I think that just shows that at least for me like this is still kind of a little bit of a developing story But I understand, you know, you can't go on forever So my little way of doing things here, I don't know if anyone's noticed but I brought my markers But you know if anyone wants me to get up I'll actually get up and write them down But I'll just share them verbally to start with So the way I had to just kind of process this there's just so many different moving pieces For me pros and cons of all these different options So Veterans obviously this is you know a project for the veterans, but it can't come at you know Disproportionate negative impact for The neighbors so obviously that's kind of the crux of the matter. I assume for all of us So In all the options and certain, you know, there's three options as far as I'm concerned one that David just mentioned Again post stays exactly where it is. No cost to do basically anything there.

That's that's that And the neighborhood is 100% focused on building housing on the other site No post within it just veterans housing and service component That's one the second one is that Teared on post that's moved temporarily and rebuild a brand new housing and post all integrated and then the third option is where Teared on the post Just build housing and both those sites and the post moves permanently, right? So those are my three options And what I'm contrasting So in terms of like keeping the post as is and building housing next door clearly, this is the vets first choice For me the fact that they use their own money to build that post Is Important and with this option, there's no disruption for their membership It doesn't cost Anybody any money to move the vets and make temporary or permanent improvements that reach arts It Does achieve this kind of keeping the post and the housing kind of separate not co-mingled in the same building But still kind of creates this initial vision of the veterans crossing Having all these things kind of integrated that was where this all started It doesn't require any change the liquor license or entertainment license or any zoning issues That might come up by moving the vets to reach arts The thing that maybe I was last to the party to understand this but like this is not only really what the vets want But this is like the least expensive option to the town We still get the maximum rent payment from beneath Rive And we're not expending anything for a temporary or permanent move to reach arts It's also clearly consistent with the town meeting vote So there's a thing kind of hanging out there about what the implications are about Town meeting and what the vote was and the intention Clearly doing this option Takes that off the table.

[Speaker 3] (2:09:36 - 2:10:37)
Well, I don't I don't think it does about the post yeah, because if you're going to use the argument to say you can't move the post to reach because the town meeting vote doesn't support it then The town meeting vote says that the post will be inside the new building and I'll use both parcels So you're getting into the same Issue that the town meeting vote doesn't reflect exactly what you're wanting to do And I'm not taking a position on whether or not I agree with your motion I'm just saying logically if you're going to use the argument of the words of the town meeting vote against Moving them to reach then you also would have that same argument Against leaving them where they are and not using both parcels to build The building with the post inside because I believe that is what? town you go The argument against moving the town meeting moving Them to reach would say that the post has to be inside That's why we can't doesn't say inside Well, what does it say a new post a new post it says inclusion of a new post in these two parcels?

[Speaker 2] (2:10:43 - 2:11:12)
The last thing is that what I think is even clearer is that this approach is Consistent With the RFP. I think there's been discussion concern about whether or not What the requirement was of the RFP and Whether or not if you have it completely off-site That's consistent with the RFP

[Speaker 3] (2:11:14 - 2:11:41)
Again I have to make the same argument that if if the RFP required the post to be inside In order to get to the argument as to why you can't move them to reach then logically How could you say that not having the post inside even though you're not touching the post?

I get your what you're trying to say But it can't be against one and for the other if you're actually ending up with the same scenario Which is the post is not inside.

[Speaker 2] (2:11:47 - 2:12:59)
I Hear what you're saying The cons to this From my you know hearing what people are saying the number one Although I haven't actually heard it tonight per se But I think it's kind of well what I have heard tonight is people saying that it'll be five floors Can we please? Please stick with the facts that the four floors this scenario And so we're really comparing three floors to four floors With the mechanics on top of either of those scenarios, of course In both elevated. So we're really absolutely looking at four and five steps But Mary Ellen that that confuses the issue because when People when you go and think about the reference point that people have is like the Westcott Right now and in that building is truly five stories like this stuff about mechanicals You don't you're not even gonna see the mechanicals.

Okay, so you don't that you don't count that in like People's perception or what?

[Speaker 1] (2:12:59 - 2:13:07)
You actually do see the mechanicals you can see the mechanic But we are talking about One size versus another size.

[Speaker 2] (2:13:08 - 2:14:56)
Yeah, one more. Absolutely. No doubt about that.

We're talking about size 12 feet Absolutely, no doubt about it. And so if you look at the Sun angles of what that 12 feet Impacts there literally I can count on one hand the number of houses that will have about an hour of Sun impact Because of that 12 feet Okay, just to be like, you know We can all kind of sit here and feel like, you know, one story is gonna just like tower over This isn't Westcott. It's not Pittman Road.

It's not the same thing. It is gonna impact some people That's putting in an account. No doubt about it But I'm also trying to kind of like be factual about Literally who will be impacted and how they will be impacted Because you know, there's a lot of concern about Number of units or number of people or number of cars, you know, that's gonna be the same no matter what right like More busyness more traffic, whatever it is, like none of these options are any different in that regard Okay, so I think the I Don't think I need to kind of do the Moving to recharge permanently version because it's all basically just the flip of everything. I just said, right The one in the middle is the new post inside the new building and a temporary move to recharge So this is the vets second choice You know If we're gonna be able if we're gonna take it down the post Does seem reasonable that we need to make sure that there is a real post to replace it But Doug are you talking?

[Speaker 1] (2:14:56 - 2:15:21)
Oh, are you talking towards the motion because isn't don't we have a motion here for? Don't we have one motion we do or yeah, that's fine. I can pause on this What are you looking to make an amendment to the motion?

No So we have a motion on the floor Can I just ask how that's not pertinent to the motion? Well, because it's it's making the motion different, isn't it?

[Speaker 3] (2:15:21 - 2:15:29)
No I think the conversation is gonna happen regardless. Okay, so we might as well just have it

[Speaker 2] (2:15:30 - 2:16:42)
And it's only a couple more minutes so This one here even more even more so to your points Katie is consistent with the town meeting vote and Is very consistent with the RFP The cons of this Is that probably this option is the most expensive to the town because we are Having to do move the vets temporarily make investments in recharts for two years or whatever it's going to take At the same time we're building a brand new post that costs money from the developers perspective That they're gonna pass along to us So the rent payment that we're gonna get is gonna be much less and then we're gonna have to build out a new post I Was you know, I was a bigger fan of that until I actually kind of went through this exercise and really Thought about the ramifications there

[Speaker 3] (2:16:43 - 2:16:53)
Can I also just add that the building is going to be exactly the same Size so the all the cons for the neighbors fall in this category.

[Speaker 2] (2:16:53 - 2:18:06)
Absolutely Okay, sorry First con. Well, that was the first one most expensive in town second one still four floors And You Do have like for the temporary move you do have the parking and zoning issues that and David alluded to and You get into with kind of a permanent move of the post to the recharts building So, I Mean, I guess one virtue I didn't say here is that would be a brand new post State the obvious in this scenario So that is kind of one virtue of the pain or the additional cost you go through is you actually have a brand new post? But I don't hear like that.

That's really fundamentally the issue that like we really need a brand new post In fact, clearly that's are happy with what they have right now So, can I add another con to your virtual whiteboard sure And well, maybe I'm waiting to hear with it's okay, I Know that I have mentioned this in the past.

[Speaker 3] (2:18:06 - 2:18:49)
I believe that we had some representatives from Sale Post Mary Ellen you can maybe expand more on this but the detriment of potentially having the post in the same building as And 42 units of veterans housing and how that may preclude Veterans who need housing from living in that building because the post would be attached to it Literally attached in their building and there's in their living space whether it's you know for Substance abuse reasons or other reasons that that actually might deter Folks from being able to live in that building

[Speaker 2] (2:18:50 - 2:18:53)
Appreciate your support for option one

[Speaker 3] (2:18:54 - 2:20:19)
That's just I mean really I think Having gone through the exercise There are really two options here The post doesn't go anywhere. It stays exactly the way it is and you build it all in one lot next door or You Take the post down move them to reach and build three stories on Two lots I Understand the second option is deemed viable by the developer and it's important that we go through the pros and cons But considering what we've just discussed if we really are narrowing down options all of the Pros for that live with the pros for the first option and there are more cons Than there are cons in the set in the first option. So to me it makes sense to just Take that option off the table.

Also, I don't believe the veterans they called it I'm asking now They called it like the second best option, but the developer has stated that it could not add any additional space They would not be willing to remove a unit two units Yeah, right Susan said that wasn't one unit. No Susan came back and said it was not an option to have the flex space Go just to the veterans

[Speaker 2] (2:20:21 - 2:20:43)
Okay, well I Have to state that this is frustrating that that piece of information was not shared until right now putting that aside I Think what So for more news flash and what about the one unit

[Speaker 6] (2:20:51 - 2:21:04)
The same thing in terms of the the developer stated that the cost of Losing the unit would be close to two million dollars and they were not That was something that that's not gonna make the project viable

[Speaker 2] (2:21:06 - 2:21:08)
A million or two million

[Speaker 6] (2:21:08 - 2:21:16)
I can double-check but it was definitely in the millions in terms of the cost of losing the unit One unit one unit. Yes

[Speaker 1] (2:21:26 - 2:21:31)
Do we have any more discussion on David's motion I

[Speaker 2] (2:21:34 - 2:23:50)
Just got to say it out loud I'm really concerned about The approach We pause for a second, I know that beneath breath has processed several different options And yet as we heard here tonight It's Bewildering to me that we are this far along in this project and that a developer has not engaged Directly with the neighbors and the vets to do the design and I Just know I've consulted with other people who do low-income housing development This answer is just not believable I Feel like it feels as though they have a Point of view which hey, they're the developer they can have that but it does not feel like this is a logical Engagement on Being creative and finding a solution they're supposed to be building veterans housing and it feels as though they're coming up with ways to kind of Push a certain solution We sat there on the phone with one of the members of any breath Who started to give us an estimate Which was orders of magnitude less than that if you take The Post in the option is they originally proposed it 1,500 square feet and what it cost us in order to pull that out.

It was $900,000 So if you're gonna take another 500 square feet It's 300 grand Maybe there's something else funky, but how do you get to two million dollars?

[Speaker 6] (2:23:50 - 2:24:12)
I mean if I can go I clarify. I'm sorry. So I was incorrect in terms of the number of units I'm sorry because what I had from we received communication from her neighbor that If we were to reduce the unit count to 30 units then that would leave I'm sorry So not 40 30 30 units that the gap would be 2.1 million dollars.

[Speaker 2] (2:24:12 - 2:24:15)
Yeah, that's totally different scenario Marcy. That's the

[Speaker 6] (2:24:16 - 2:24:19)
Okay, so I think what was discussed in our call

[Speaker 3] (2:24:20 - 2:27:17)
Doug Was that the build-out would be What you and David just discussed there 300,000 additional dollars for us to fund right in order to build out the additional space Yes the loss of the unit would be a loss of Some tax credits that they would not they would not be able to have so there would be an additional cost I don't know what that dollar amount ever came back at I don't know if it did ever come back because Susan then reached out and said What is the point of going down that option if we could go down this other option where either This is my interpretation I didn't speak to Susan But I think the conclusion is what I just came to the conclusion of is there's really two options Why are we trying to make this middle option happen?

If it doesn't satisfy the developer or the neighbors or the veterans the two options are the veterans stay exactly as they are and you build the same building you were going to build if the veterans post was inside or stories with mechanical on top or You take it down you move them and you built like we don't have to go through all these iterations We don't have to have them spend money when they're not contractually obligated to do so we don't have to have them speak to neighbors and veterans and anybody because it's our job to make that decision of what we're doing with that piece of land not theirs and Then we come to that conclusion and we set them on their way That is why they said when we last had this conversation We asked to maybe have this idea of optionality in the contract where we said, hey We have these two ideas floating around.

Can we make this sort of kick the can and they said it doesn't do The developer any service to do that really doesn't do you guys any service to do that either? you're just delaying the decision and there weren't they were not interested in an LDO that contained that so regardless of how you feel about That middle option I just for the sake of moving this conversation along to make a decision I feel like that middle option is moot. Anyways, the cons outweigh The cons list for option a the pros are not enough to Usurp the Option a of the veterans stay or the veterans go So to me it just makes more sense instead of trying to make it work in all of its nuance that it just comes off because in the end the result is That We are left with a scenario which has more cons and pros of the first available scenario Which still is the veterans quote first choice anyways

[Speaker 2] (2:27:18 - 2:28:31)
Well, not to belabor I I understand the logic of what you're saying But I would say by that same logic then, you know from my accounting The option of moving the vets permanently to reach arts has even more cons and so then you're really down to one option but you know, that's You know, obviously there's value judgments in in this But you know the list of cons for moving them permanently beyond the fact that they're just opposed to it Is we've got a real potential issue, you know kind of filed issue with town meeting Got an issue with the RFP people are already stirring about a legal response to that We have we don't know actually how much it's going to cost us to do the repairs or reach arts We know the parking is at best a little bit like a jigsaw puzzle And What about the zoning?

How do we Margie?

[Speaker 6] (2:28:31 - 2:28:34)
Can you come do you have any information on the zoning? So earlier today?

[Speaker 1] (2:28:34 - 2:29:05)
I had reached out to Max as you know Max Casper is the building commission as a zoning enforcement officer and he said that that could be a viable option a Path in order to meet the zoning requirements So I also spoke with Angela Ippolito To question zoning and Angela Toledo from the planning or it said that there is no issues with zoning And that that That is not that I'm giving you a quote.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:05 - 2:29:10)
There's no issues with zoning Jurisdiction and how can she say that?

[Speaker 1] (2:29:11 - 2:29:16)
I'm not planning board. So I asked the planning board you can ask Margie.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:16 - 2:29:34)
I'm not I'm not But are those two relevant parties, I mean and I mean it's not zoned for that right now, so This is gonna we're gonna put a liquor license and something that's residential There is one building already uses liquor licenses.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:34 - 2:29:38)
Yes, there are liquor licenses issued to that building

[Speaker 2] (2:29:41 - 2:29:44)
People haven't Haven't been bothered by it

[Speaker 3] (2:29:44 - 2:29:56)
But as part of the liquor doesn't mean it's building commissioner and other people Support right and they come forward and they say we've checked all the boxes

[Speaker 5] (2:30:03 - 2:30:29)
Yes, this board does control the liquor license but doesn't control zoning I Mean, I'm looking at I'm looking at our zoning bylaws Institutional uses in A2 and a4 Club Lodge fraternal organization profit or not-for-profit a to know a for no not even with a special permit So what we'd have to go back to town meeting and get the zoning changed for

[Speaker 2] (2:30:30 - 2:30:33)
And then you're in spot zoning or you're gonna zone the whole thing for you know, like

[Speaker 6] (2:30:34 - 2:31:09)
Again, it's it could potentially be a non-conforming use. There's a pre-existing use as you recall that used to be in A American Legion Hall then, you know, that was the former use Earlier today. I think that max provided an email to Dave David to your response And I can lead to you in terms of what max Max's responses was he just stated that would need details to eventually Of the eventual use to make the final determination, but in my opinion, there are some some potential paths Just hold on second.

[Speaker 1] (2:31:09 - 2:31:13)
Um Angela can you comment on this?

[Speaker 12] (2:31:21 - 2:33:13)
Angela you can unmute yourself Angela you can unmute yourself Yes It is neither a to or a for I'm very familiar with the zoning I did the research on this project The zoning line with our consultants In a plan development district is not an overlay. It's a complete zone in and of itself The recommendation was for residential use up to three units by right However, there that was not the exclusive use and it could also be used for any purpose that the that the county was in the best interest of its use and under that Understanding the you know, it was an American Legion. It's been years and years ago That's not just the precedent here that matters, but that's the way that's the way the law is written There is no zoning relief you can get on this particular project.

The only approvals it needs is an administrative site plan and If you wanted to change the zoning, you'd have to go to town meeting and change it like we did at Nantucrossing Atlantic crossing when the temple used to be was also a plan development district and when the developer came in and wanted to subdivision We had to go back

[Speaker 5] (2:33:20 - 2:33:40)
And Angela can you point us to where it is in the existing zoning because I see 4.5 point 2.0 permitted Okay, it's on page it's on page 50 And

[Speaker 6] (2:33:41 - 2:34:04)
Under the purposes David's you have 4.5 point 1.0 You can see under the purposes as talks about promote the efficient use of use of the land and the districts Provide the opportunity to redevelop the land in the district to the benefit the town and the public including facilitating as appropriate the removal and significantly of that rotation of building and others

[Speaker 2] (2:34:31 - 2:34:41)
I Guess while David's looking that up, I'll just finish my little piece to say that I Know there's a

[Speaker 18] (2:34:44 - 2:34:46)
Real kind of

[Speaker 2] (2:34:47 - 2:37:52)
tension or balance I imagine for all of us and To kind of take the lead of What the vets want for this vets project And have it be kind of most economical for the town Which would allow us if we so chose to go down that path to make some really significant Investments in that neighborhood Not just on that property, but by saving basically a Million million and a half dollars by not moving We have resources to address these other issues that the neighbors have brought up in terms of you know Police or road and control or lighting or sidewalks or you know Traffic traffic or Landscaping between this development or you know, kind of there's there's a significant pool of funds there to like Really make that neighborhood Feel like a neighborhood Not just this spot, but the whole area That feels as though It's not completely kind of choosing one group or the other But it is finding a balance and really the the primary thing is this this height and No way to kind of create more sunlight for that hour. That's going to be impacted by that extra floor but hopefully by using these funds and being in cooperation there would be a way in which we could Make This a smoother, I mean you'd have be less construction because you wouldn't be tearing down the post You know, there are kind of ways in which this could get balanced out And I just feel like for people who literally have like literally gone to war That You know taxpayers and people that own homes here are important too but that final kind of final analysis like can we just Find a way to stick with the post there and build the housing right next to it and build a great community And really engage with people about what they need with the funding that we would save I think that's That's my ask

[Speaker 3] (2:37:56 - 2:39:21)
A couple clarifying things because I Admire the Ask that we are being very careful with our words and truthful in the words that we use So I just want to clarify that The Conversations we have had thus far with the vets have been related to the post And that the veterans project that we are hoping to build with the nays as a partner would be a veterans project which would exceed the Include the the vets of the post would obviously be more than Okay to participate but the pool of veterans there's over 400 veterans in Swampstock and It would be a senior veterans preference Swampstock preference so then the pool would be even greater than that and nobody's taken a poll of 400 veterans we have spoken to a And this is not to downplay what you and David have done You've spoken Diligently to a group of folks who will absolutely be affected But are not the only veterans who can or might be affected by adding to 42 units of housing

[Speaker 2] (2:39:22 - 2:39:35)
Right, but so I just you're gonna get 42 units of housing. That's no different All that the greater good of the 400 veterans here All these all these options have are gonna serve that group equally

[Speaker 3] (2:39:36 - 2:41:13)
Well, I think there are con there there are not there are options that If you I guess if you take option two off the table I include the post but I'm just saying like we don't we're not Like when I say I spoke to the neighbors I didn't knock on every door and speak to every neighbor in the area of Pine Street but I spoke to neighbors right and When you say you spoke to vets, you didn't speak to every vet So I just want to be clear because I don't then want to say what I want to say and then have it come back That I am making broad strokes or being dramatic or saying things more greatly than What is actually done because I'm taking you at your word you spoke to the post ad nauseum for a long period of time multiple times But we had one meeting with the community which included the post which included neighbors One meeting exactly So when you say things like well there's maybe things we could do to mitigate the traffic and that this and the vet like We don't have a plan to mitigate any of that.

We've not had any conversation publicly other than that one time And there are no promises being made to the neighbors. There's just All of these Wants and wishes for the vets that we would like to uphold or you would like you and David would like to uphold and they're Bringing forward to us.

[Speaker 2] (2:41:14 - 2:42:44)
Well, I'm also bringing forward hearing the neighbors and In option one, you now have a pool of funds that you don't have with option quote three Right, but I think a lot of that is that the neighbors are saying you can't fix with money Not everything, but a lot of things Clearly you can't solve the one floor that you can't solve Can't solve the parking you can't but there's no parking. That's not an issue in option one There's no parking different than there is an option three. There's parking off street and so that's that's another virtue of Option one is that all the parking for the housing and for the vets is off street Whereas an option three moving it to reach arts All the stuff for the post is going to clearly be All the vast majority of it is going to be on the street Parking is an issue in I think we agreed two meetings ago.

Parking is a serious issue No matter what you no matter which option like parking really is a moot point, but Not now that's you know, what we got back from Vinay about what's viable what's not viable There was nothing in this option of building all in one site that they Identify that there was any parking issue one of the other options. They said there were parking issues But in this one, there was no there was no commentary about a parking issue So I'm just kind of that's not what I remember.

[Speaker 1] (2:42:44 - 2:42:46)
I remember we have a parking issue

[Speaker 2] (2:42:46 - 2:42:53)
It was a parking issue when you tried to build it all on three floors and have a post there and everything that pushed

[Speaker 1] (2:42:54 - 2:43:10)
In our conversations though There's a parking issue with the one building on the one site and then having the VFW there There was still there was still a parking issue not according to what they wrote to us I according to our meeting that we sat in there was a parking issue

[Speaker 2] (2:43:12 - 2:43:19)
They Clearly stated what viable was wasn't viable and in certain situations they pointed out parking issues and this one they not point out parking

[Speaker 1] (2:43:19 - 2:43:33)
Okay, I'm only gonna recall the meeting that we sat in Amongst ourselves so Do we have any more discussion on this motion David's motion

[Speaker 5] (2:43:33 - 2:44:07)
Yeah, I mean, I'm just looking at the zoning. I just I it just to me appears that it's a bunch of it's a variety of housing types and Again, I don't think Per my read of this. I don't I don't see that.

There's that there's allowable zoning right now There may be a path forward but I think that involves changing zoning not using the existing zoning that is that is in the zoning bylaws as per my read so there's no sentence that says or any user right under the What as to miss a polito?

[Speaker 3] (2:44:09 - 2:44:09)
Data

[Speaker 5] (2:44:10 - 2:45:03)
purposes a section or to provide opportunities for a variety of housing types at a certain locations of the town at greater densities and With reduced dimensional requirements than would otherwise be allowed expand possible uses on the land in the districts promote the efficient use of land in the districts provide the opportunity to redevelop the land in the districts to benefit the town in public including facilitating as appropriate the removal or significant rehabilitation of abandoned and dilapidated buildings Pose a hazard to public safety and welfare provide diversity and variety and housing types Promote design and land planning to achieve aesthetic qualities in town and encourage development of new housing That is affordable to low and moderate income households And then it goes on to describe permitted principal and accessory uses uses permitted in the plan development districts 4.5 point two point two in the brochure in the Burrell Senior Center PDD a single two-family or three-family dwelling is allowed as of right

[Speaker 1] (2:45:10 - 2:45:21)
We Have any more questions or comments So can we have a vote on David's motion?

Daniel no, Doug.

[Speaker 2] (2:45:22 - 2:45:23)
Yes, David.

[Speaker 1] (2:45:23 - 2:46:03)
I Marilyn no No So that motion has failed Now I'd like to see if we can have a motion for the The option and Disposition and ground Ground lease that's presented that is that you all have copies of right here I'll make that motion second Discussion From

[Speaker 3] (2:46:04 - 2:52:02)
The start of this project and in response to allegations out of the lack of transparency This board has committed to realign our approach to meet community expectations Whether or not these claims are justified we have made every effort to bring these discussions into public session as demanded We listened we course-corrected we held open meetings where facts and open issues were discussed transparently We've had conversations with veterans Representatives but to respect the law no promises were made because discussions of two or more Members of the select board would violate open meeting law Despite claims that board members have disclosed private information. The majority of the board has adhered strictly to ethical and legal obligations we've worked diligently to strike a balance between supporting the veterans Preserving the post listening to neighbors concerns and ensuring that ARPA funds Approved by town meeting are preserved and utilized effectively for this project Yet with every step forward we face continued pushback First allegations on a lack of transparency, which we work to address then concerns of insufficient information Which we sought to alleviate by bringing in our town council our special town council town staff and experts from the affordable housing field Folks are very concerned that the project would not be for veterans We made this very clear repeatedly that this is affordable housing designed for Citizens with a veterans preference and a Swamp Scout preference. We remain I remain Committed to collaborating with veterans organizations to ensure that Swamp Scout veterans from the estimated 400 plus in town Have access to this housing once completed Educating veterans about the process and conditions to enter this housing will be critical At our most recent meeting veterans expressed concerns about the inconvenience of moving We tried to reassure them that the town could work to cover costs of moving There were also discussions about cash flow issues tied to parking revenue from a nearby cannabis shop.

We tried to address The cash flow issue by explaining the parking income will be lost regardless of whether the VFW moves or not We are working to mitigate parking issues in the surrounding areas Additionally the town proposed assuming ownership The town has proposed assuming ownership in all of the capital costs at the recharge building Allowing the VFW post to redirect its resources to its core mission of providing veteran services The town suggests covering the town suggested covering one year worth of vets bills I'm sorry one year's worth of Utility bills for the VFW post if moved to recharge to help stabilize its finance Finances and enable them to focus on outreach and long-term sustainability in our community The town proposed leasing the entire recharge building with an option for sub leasing so that the VFW post could offset its costs By renting space to either veterans or community programs or any other program thereby closing potential financial gaps Well, some have said that the recharge building is not a DA compliant We've had town staff clarify. I believe the square footage of accessible speech at reach is Approximately equal to what is available at the current VW post for a DA accessible space The board has listened adapted and pivoted in response to concerns some feel it's too little too late but I urge you not to let personal feelings about individual board members cloud your judgment about what will ultimately support our veterans and the Post for years to come. I Understand your frustration. I share it.

I would have changed many aspects of how this project had been communicated particularly surrounding the lack of Communication to the neighbors and the communications with the veterans But it seems like every time we resolve one issue another arises and the goal goal the goal post continues to shift While I firmly believe that our veterans are vital to our community They are part of a larger fabric that includes all residents of Swampscott and surrounding neighbors We must consider multiple stakeholders Some with competing interests the most significant challenge is the use of the 1.8 million in ARPA funds Which must be allocated to affordable housing by December 31st If this deadline isn't met it is my understanding Directed by town staff that we would have no choice, but to find alternative funding sources either through revenue increase Borrowing or tax increases this would go against what town meeting originally approved Additionally the concerns of the neighbors around the VFW post regarding the light blockage parking congestion are valid Well, we can't solve every problem we can ensure that the design of the veterans housing aligns with the size and characteristic of the neighborhood Listen no solution is perfect I've said that in these meetings before but we've tried to consider every possibility during our last meeting We explored six different configurations for the project But now our developers have been extremely patient and responsive to each suggestion But ultimately the decision rests with us not them After much discussion having weighed the balance of the various issues I do support a motion to approve though at the LDA and proceed with issuing an RFP for leasing the reach arts building immediately and continue to work with the VFW post and neighbors to assure to Ensure that we accomplish something truly meaningful for our veterans and our town. I also want to reiterate that the timely allocation of ARPA funds is crucial for the project and if we don't move forward with a We risk losing those funds and undermining the goals.

We've set to support both affordable housing and our veterans David I Just think it's incredibly disingenuous.

[Speaker 5] (2:52:02 - 2:52:36)
We don't have the stuff. We're gonna bank on town meeting Screwing over the veterans and the VFW by changing by changing the zoning the situation can be completely avoided tonight by the select board But, you know go ahead and do what you will the town has a 30-year history of Taking and taking and taking from the veterans and not and not giving and not and not meeting them even halfway, so You got your votes make your motion and let's get on with our meeting

[Speaker 2] (2:52:39 - 2:53:10)
Well, I think kind of David's point we have an LDA in front of us where's the Where's the promise document of everything you're gonna do for the vets? Yep Want us to write a document right now No, I'm saying that's evidence of the fact that it's easy to talk.

It's easy to say this is what we're gonna do But that's just the point Mary Ellen why isn't it here now if you're so committed to because it needs to be a proposal Maybe you want to add something to it.

[Speaker 1] (2:53:10 - 2:53:29)
Take it away Is there any reason that you would think that we would not Issue the longest possible lease Available. Is there any reason you think that we would not? Do 12 months of utilities is there I

[Speaker 2] (2:53:30 - 2:53:54)
Have no idea because maybe now you're gonna go and like find out that if you can even do this in the zone That it's gonna cost you a lot more money than you thought Yep, and so then you're gonna be back here saying well, you know, maybe you know Maybe we can't do that or oh, it's gonna cost us too much And so you've got a half-baked proposal here that you know You're talking Katie about talking to neighbors.

How many neighbors have you talked to in this in the Burroughs Street neighborhood?

[Speaker 3] (2:53:56 - 2:54:00)
Yeah, they'd love in this I mean I've had both support and opposition

[Speaker 18] (2:54:02 - 2:54:02)
Yeah

[Speaker 3] (2:54:03 - 2:54:05)
How many have you spoke to

[Speaker 2] (2:54:06 - 2:54:26)
No, I'm just saying that you're the one that's saying that it's such a big deal to like having to go and talk to the neighbors and as if that's like kind of the end of the story that Clearly, you know Every single email we've gotten hasn't no one in that neighborhood has been saying rah-rah-rah So I don't know where you found people that were rah-rah-rah in that neighborhood so

[Speaker 7] (2:54:28 - 2:55:01)
But what about the Pine Street neighborhood? Because I talked to three today three people today who have problems with a four-story building I'm sure they do and they have problems with the development in general So if there's anything we can do to mitigate the concerns of the people that already live there Why wouldn't we do that if we could put a building that's slightly smaller? To actually help our residents who stood here tonight.

Mrs. Dalton, I think told us Why wouldn't we do that because the projects for the vets? Project wait a minute.

[Speaker 10] (2:55:01 - 2:55:01)
Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

[Speaker 7] (2:55:02 - 2:55:03)
So have you talked?

[Speaker 10] (2:55:03 - 2:55:04)
No, no. No, I have

[Speaker 7] (2:55:05 - 2:55:23)
You had a lot of time you had a lot of time Doug you had a lot of time The vets The vets have you talked to all 450 that live in Swampscott, but it is relevant because you just said it's for the vets

[Speaker 1] (2:55:24 - 2:55:28)
the vets Oh, sorry, I don't know

[Speaker 7] (2:55:30 - 2:57:02)
So, what are we talking about we're talking about the vets of post 1240 We're talking about a very small subsection of vets that you and David are Focused on we're not talking about every vet that lives in Swampscott, right?

Housing Right, but you certainly do Doug but we're not taking anything from the vets But that's their opinion that's not my opinion we're not saying you get nothing you're done we're relocating them Right, and we're trying to better that Situation, right? We're trying to make it as comfortable for them there as possible so that we can also Alleviate the issues of the residents of Pine Street because they count too. They do matter And we're you guys aren't addressing that at all You're focused on the the veterans of post 1240 to do what do you can you make a Jetson card that will alleviate traffic?

Because that's one of their concerns Exactly. So what is your money gonna do? What are you gonna do with your money?

The rodent control we've been talking about rodents in this whole town We've been talking about rodents and for the whole year Okay, but just to be clear we're going to use logic and truth in this conversation

[Speaker 3] (2:57:02 - 2:57:12)
What you just called our half-baked plan to support the veterans is the same Argument that I can say to say you have a half-baked plan to support the neighbors

[Speaker 2] (2:57:12 - 2:57:16)
No, it's not the same Katie because I have a pool of money to actually do it

[Speaker 3] (2:57:16 - 2:57:22)
So we have it there is a pool of money to support the veterans there's seven hundred fifty thousand dollars in the budget we saw

[Speaker 2] (2:57:22 - 2:57:24)
Yeah, that's being used up. Now.

[Speaker 3] (2:57:24 - 2:57:24)
How do you know?

[Speaker 5] (2:57:25 - 2:58:04)
I just you just said fifty five five hundred thousand dollars It's at I'm saying it's at least five hundred thousand dollars just to cover the elevator The sprinkler system and to bring the electrical up the code that doesn't count and that's a minimum. That's a minimum number I mean we will I walk we walk the building with with Doug on Saturday I Don't know no, no, no, he's just saying he's just It would happen over an RFP process in order to be right none of these numbers are actual all of this is philosophical They're gonna make philosophical arguments on your side.

[Speaker 7] (2:58:04 - 2:58:21)
The other side is gonna make philosophical arguments All of this stuff is pie-in-the-sky ideas. None of it is concrete in front of us with guaranteed quotes Doug Dubin Do you have a guaranteed quote? No.

No, thank you. So you're five hundred thousand estimate David. No offense.

You're not a builder You're not a developer.

[Speaker 2] (2:58:21 - 2:59:39)
I don't know that I can please please What is the fact is that If you built the housing on the one site and left the post there That we would get a 1.5 million dollar rent payment and you need to spend no other money For the post and you would have that money to deploy in other ways Do I have literally this is $50,000 for this tree? No, but the fact is you have that pool of money Whereas with what you are proposing you do You do not have a quote. You do not have a guarantee of how much it's gonna cost and you've So you're gonna you're gonna be you're not gonna be able to do anything else for the neighborhood The Pine Street neighborhood and you're gonna have an unknown amount of money you're gonna have to put into recharts Okay, so I think it's just easy to sit here and say oh, hey, you know, we just put the post over there we'll move them even though they don't want to move and and we're gonna figure it out and the zoning will be fine, and we have plenty of money and

[Speaker 5] (2:59:40 - 2:59:40)
We don't have a plan.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:41 - 2:59:47)
So Doug You keep saying the same things Over and over and over.

[Speaker 5] (2:59:47 - 2:59:50)
We do have the commander who has his hand raised. Maybe we could recognize him.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:51 - 2:59:56)
I Think the commander could have been here earlier but

[Speaker 5] (2:59:57 - 3:00:01)
You're about to let's you're about to take away his let's have let's have it

[Speaker 1] (3:00:01 - 3:00:49)
but let's have the commander if you could unmute the commander and then Danielle you will finish and then Come along He's on the Nelson okay

[Speaker 4] (3:00:50 - 3:00:59)
Okay, we're going to move on

[Speaker 1] (3:01:01 - 3:01:02)
Danielle so

[Speaker 7] (3:01:04 - 3:03:33)
There are a couple of things that I know I know that we need this affordable housing we need housing for our seniors With veterans preference. Is it a fabulous fabulous idea and it is something we are trying to do, right?

Those are the things I do know I do know That people have reached out to me from the Pine Street neighborhood with their concerns and they do not fall on deaf ears for me So when I talk to people and they have concerns about the height of this building Those are real concerns to me. I have done a lot of outreach on my own I've spoken to two members of the planning board. I've spoken to members of the affordable housing trust I've done as much due diligence as I can and that is why I feel Confident and in the decision tonight.

Yes. It is not a perfect scenario. No, it is not going to check all the boxes Primarily the Pine Street neighborhood doesn't want any development, right?

They are not comfortable with anything going up there and I respect that and I understand it I get the traffic concerns. I get the the sewage backup concerns. Like I spoke to a woman today about it.

I Understand that so if I can do anything to make life more livable and comfortable for the residents of that neighborhood That's what I'm gonna do. I Feel like we're put here to advocate for residents of Swamp Scott, right? so we're trying to do that by making affordable housing for our seniors for our veterans and We have to focus on the people that live here that that's what it comes down to for me and that's not to say that the the people that are Members of post 1240 are not Valid humans and that they don't deserve a comfortable place to be I completely agree with that and I think it's a incumbent upon this board to make Borough Street as comfortable as it can possibly be no matter what it costs us Because that is what the right thing to do is that we definitely do owe them something I agree with that, but I think that we they're not the only stakeholder here There's a lot of stakeholders and we're trying to make a lot of people happy and it's not for bad intent. There's no, you know Nefarious intent here at all and I think that the infighting that's going on Within our board is is totally counterproductive, right? We're all trying to do similar things We're trying to do the best we can right?

So that's that's how I feel.

[Speaker 1] (3:03:33 - 3:06:03)
That's just that's my opinion so for me as I close as far as making sure that there is a Long-term lease prepared actually KP law is is working on a lease right now as far as Paying the capital expenses that would be in the lease the lease can go out an RFP can go out immediately We do not have to wait on a delay as far as Writing up and making sure that we can absorb the utilities bills. We can take care of that as Well that can all be taken care of for me when I sit down and I look at this I've said it before that this has not been a pleasant experience whatsoever however, when I think about what is a post is a post a building or is it the post the organization for me the post is a building and We are we can relocate the building and we can give more support To the people that are involved in this post so That's what really makes my decision here. The neighborhood is very important to me and the ramifications of The extra height and the congestion down there really has played a later role so Veterans housing is a necessity.

It's a home in Swanscott It's security. It's stability. I don't want to take any chances on losing any of this I don't want to delay it and for that reason I want to call a vote on these options There's no way for us to unmute that him is there All right, so with that I Would like to call a vote Katie.

Yes David no, Doug heck. No Danielle, yes, Mary Ellen.

[Speaker 9] (3:06:04 - 3:09:07)
Yes motion carries Next on our agenda is Town administrators report Okay, try to keep this as brief as possible Finance department and thank you to Amy and Patrick working with me Amy the department heads are working with the finance team and a busy working on the Y 26 budget Amy will stop meeting with the department heads in the week of January 6. Thank you Patrick is generating real estate tax bills, which was sent out on January 2nd It's also preparing the w-2s for town employees Patrick facilities Max thanks for showing up tonight. Appreciate this as always Our SPPs are being issued for the library entrance redesign The senior Senate HVAC in for the new high school lighten both of those capital articles were approved at the special town meeting The library redesign is a capital improvement project as I just said and also Thank you to Max.

He's been filling in as the building commissioner and to Roger Enos Who has been doing inspections until such time that we can find a full-time building inspector police department We seem to resolve the issue up around Reddington Street. There was some issues with To travel lanes heading southbound on Reddington Street We put the message board up by King Street That seems to alleviate the problem met with Max today may still be an issue with the center line up there We're gonna have to shift the center line in the top of the street May be a problem. We have to wait for the weather to cooperate campaign for lines unless it's at least 45 50 degrees Officer Cassidy John Cassidy is being deployed to Japan for four months beginning January I'd like to thank John for his continued service to our country the holiday parade was held this past Saturday and was a huge success a Special thanks to the off-duty police office who donate their time to assist with this event. I think it's very admirable Public works we talked about Mark Noonan Thank you mark and then finally the annual care dimensions tree lighten Thank you for showing up personally, that was my 22nd annual tree lighten that I've attended and I always get choked up as part of the ceremony, but I Like to acknowledge in the Conti Justin Mitchell and Derek Pittman for their work and decorating a spruce tree this year We changed up the design a little bit for mark put some more lights on it. I Think other residents are happy to see that. We also changed up the lighten on the street lights As opposed to doing the trees which is a little awkward going down Monument Ave because none of the trees are the same size We put the holiday lights on the street lights Looks good for a change

[Speaker 1] (3:09:09 - 3:09:11)
Thank you, okay

[Speaker 3] (3:09:13 - 3:09:25)
Yes, anybody have any questions, um, you know, could you Let remind us who worked on all of the decorations around the municipal buildings John McLaughlin and oh, yeah On your team.

[Speaker 9] (3:09:25 - 3:09:42)
Yep. I want to acknowledge them too and Johnson and I thank you to Two newest employees. Yep, Joe Ragusa and Cabot Dow Justin Mitchell and Derek also participated Thank You DPW workers and John especially to John.

[Speaker 1] (3:09:42 - 3:10:00)
Yeah, especially you know, I just have a quick question on the police. So Is it it's my understanding? I just I just learned this is that the only police officers that are Are working are the ones on the detail and all those other police officers you see are all just volunteering their time You do.

[Speaker 9] (3:10:00 - 3:10:02)
Yep. I just found that out as well.

[Speaker 1] (3:10:02 - 3:10:48)
I think that's I'd like to commend them That's kept secret That's I think that's the greatest parade Okay, any other questions All right moving to the consent agenda um Do we Do we need to have somebody here from National Grid or the petition is just enough? Okay. So can I have a motion to approve?

the consent agenda 11-6

[Speaker 5] (3:10:51 - 3:11:11)
I just had an addition to the select to my select board time from 1120 I just had requested a meeting and so it says Notice, we had an all-female patrol staff which shows how far we've come since we've got civil service And I just requested a meeting update from the chiefs regarding hiring practices Because I think we had our last update in June

[Speaker 1] (3:11:16 - 3:11:19)
Okay, Diane you have that okay

[Speaker 5] (3:11:19 - 3:11:20)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (3:11:20 - 3:11:46)
So can I have a motion? to approve the consent agenda Katie second. Thank you all in favor.

Aye And with that we have select board time Danielle I'm good Doug David yeah, I just want to wish everybody who celebrates a happy Hanukkah.

[Speaker 5] (3:11:46 - 3:12:28)
Merry Christmas and a happy new year and Just last thing is Assessors So as we as we get into budget season, we talked about this You know, I've certainly talked to members of the Board of Assessors. I've talked to the current assessor former assessors I really think as we're putting our budget together that we need a full-time Assessor so I am going to Beat that drum So, you know, hopefully as we're as we're putting that together we're adding that part we're making that part-time FTE a full-time FTE That's my that's my Christmas wish or at least getting additional labor in there, correct?

[Speaker 1] (3:12:28 - 3:12:35)
yes, and that that comes actually from the deal the deal the Department of Revenue actually has made that recommendation

[Speaker 3] (3:12:40 - 3:14:50)
I Would like to use my select board time I thought we were going to have a break from Select board meetings, but it sounds like we might have one more for this year But I would like to say this and I was going to say this regardless of how the votes and It has been difficult to navigate Some of the tensions on the board that we've been discussing through the meeting I Try and continue to try to Be respectful in my dissension and I try and will continue to try to Encourage a sense that Sort of to reiterate what Danielle was saying I Don't I don't feel that there was What David and Doug pursued had any wrong? malice or wrongdoing To The neighbors.

I don't think that what we were doing by pursuing neighbor priorities had any malice Intent to the veterans. I understand the neighbors might feel otherwise and I understand the post might feel otherwise But I do want to say that It was not an easy decision it was not made flippantly and There was a lot of work put in this and Will continue to be a lot of work to be done in on this project by all of us, so I

[Speaker 1] (3:14:50 - 3:15:44)
Just want to say that So as far as my select board time I I Think people Really don't understand or get the full picture How much work this board has had to put in over the last?

Six months. We've had multiple items on our agendas with that said we all signed up for it and I Hope the new year brings us a little bit of peace and wish like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas Happy New Year. Happy Hanukkah.

Happy Kwanzaa. Happy whatever you might celebrate and This meeting is now adjourned Thank you All in favor You