[0:06] Good evening. Welcome to the NF board meeting. In accordance with the

[0:09] provision of Mass General law chapter 38 section 20 is hereby given that the

[0:14] select board meeting will meet on Wednesday February 25th 2026 at 7 p.m.

[0:19] Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting in meeting

[0:24] 124 one lifak mass or be remote by zoom connection provided below. Please note

[0:30] that in-person meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technical

[0:34] technological problems interrupt the remote connection. If attended remotely,

[0:38] please sign in by using the first and last name to request, ask questions or

[0:42] provide a comment. Please use a raise hand feature available when you click on

[0:47] the your name and the chair will address the request. Please be advised the

[0:52] meeting will be audio and video recorded for future rec broadcasting by Northark

[0:58] Community Television. I'd like to introduce our select board members. Uh

[1:04] Tais Hicksman, I'm Kevin Roach. Rob Gity is a town administrator. And Anita

[1:11] Metenberg is on Zoom. Ter,

[1:16] » you want to call the meeting to order? >> I'd like to call the meeting to order.

[1:21] We got to do a roll call vote or anything? Yeah. Let's see.

[1:25] » Like to pledge of allegiance.

[1:29] » I pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the

[1:34] republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and

[1:40] justice for all.

[1:48] » Okay. I'd like to let's see here

[1:54] a mo a motion to accept a motion to open the public hearing regarding transfer of

[2:00] the section of section 15 of off- premise package store alcoholic beverage

[2:07] license of

[2:10] shim variety incorporate DBA lenders variety to Lexom

[2:16] market inc DBA main Tree Cave >> convenience.

[2:20] » Convenience.

[2:24] » You need a second. >> Second.

[2:28] » Roll call vote. >> Roll call vote, please.

[2:31] » Anita Mcklinberg. I. >> Ty Sigman. I.

[2:33] » Kevin Roach. I. >> So, we have a transfer of a um section

[2:39] 15 off premises package to our license. Uh the attorney and the applicant are

[2:43] here.

[2:47] The applicant is actually well known to us as she has worked uh at Linda's

[2:52] Variety um locally and will be taking over. So

[3:02] » good evening. >> If I may, uh for the record, my name is

[3:06] David Hearn Jr. I'm an attorney with the firm of Gellman and Cabral at 30 Walpole

[3:11] Street in Norwood. I'm here this evening uh representing the applicant Laxmi

[3:16] Market Inc. um which is represented by Shardivan

[3:20] Patel who is the proposed manager of the license if approved by you and um her

[3:27] daughter Crusie Patel who's um director of the corporation and um they are

[3:34] proposing to purchase from another Patel family um the operation at Linda's

[3:40] Convenience um which carries an AAP license under section 15 as a package

[3:47] for um we have filed the application. Um and uh I realize there may be questions

[3:54] and all that. We're happy to take them, but I'll just give a little bit of a

[3:56] summary of what's involved. Um Mrs. Patel was said at the beginning was

[4:02] familiar to you folks, some of you. Um she's been associated with that store

[4:06] for a number of years, working there. Her husband uh whom I know is Joe Patel,

[4:12] um worked there also for a number of years. So, they have a long connection

[4:16] with this location. They're familiar with it. They're familiar with the

[4:19] community, with the operation of the store.

[4:22] Excuse me, I've got a cold. Sorry. Um, but um uh so they're seeking to purchase

[4:29] the uh the business itself with a new corporation that they've established uh

[4:34] and with it also the license. So, the application answers all I think answers

[4:39] all the questions that required under the ABCC forms. Um we pro provided some

[4:46] additional detail as requested. Um both uh Mrs. and Miss Patel are uh

[4:53] tipcertified and uh their intention is that anybody who's working selling

[4:58] alcohol in the store will be tipcertified.

[5:02] um they realize that until if and until this is approved by this board and then

[5:09] by the ABCC, it continues to be owned by the current

[5:12] owners and they don't have control over the store simply as employees until such

[5:18] time as everything is approved as we hope it will be. Um

[5:23] uh Mrs. Patella has been involved in uh the types of work that involve

[5:29] face-to-face dealings with people on a regular basis. She's worked at this

[5:32] store for several years. She's worked at a few Dunkin Donuts and other types of

[5:35] establishments. She has the experience to deal with members of the public uh

[5:40] and to uh know how to deal with members of the public, some of whom might be

[5:45] having a good day, some may not be having such a good day. Um, I've been in

[5:48] Dunkin Donuts enough at different places where some people are not having a good

[5:52] day and want their coffee right away. She knows how to deal with the public

[5:56] and and to do so in a careful and courteous way. And I think she is suited

[6:00] to be a manager of this type of operation which does require uh care and

[6:06] um an understanding of the people you're dealing with and a uh they understand

[6:10] that this is a public trust of sorts that um a an alcohol license is and that

[6:16] it has to be operated in a way that serves the public need, serves the

[6:19] community and also hopefully is a good business for them. So, um, you have, I

[6:25] think, copies of the the lease that would take effect once the deal goes

[6:29] through. You have a we have a statement by Mrs. Patel regarding her experience.

[6:35] Um, the floor plan and a a brief description of the premises as a

[6:39] separate page has been added. Um, proof of their status. Um,

[6:45] in terms of, uh, Mr. Patel is here with a green card. Uh, Pruce Patel is a

[6:51] citizen of the United States. Excuse me. Um, there the tips

[6:56] certificates are included, I think, in the package that we submitted to you.

[7:00] » We're happy to take any questions you might have, but I hope that you will

[7:03] find that um, this is an appropriate uh, transaction for you to approve and that

[7:09] Mrs. Patel is appropriate to serve as a manager of a uh of a license for the

[7:16] sale of all alcoholic beverages for uh package store type not to be drunk on

[7:21] the premises as opposed to the section 12 license. Um again I'm happy to

[7:27] stop and um before my voice gives out but uh also to answer any questions you

[7:32] might have. Um, >> are there any changes being made to the

[7:35] store or are you going to keep it as is as far as the floor plan or anything

[7:39] like that? >> I think the plan is to keep it pretty

[7:41] much as is. Um, maybe some cosmetic improvements uh you mentioned to me

[7:46] earlier when we were talking about it, but otherwise I think pretty much the

[7:50] same. The floor plan we've given you is pretty much the flow plan now and what

[7:54] is intended to be. And I know it's more important often for the licensing

[7:58] authority to see what we intend to have it and that's what we're showing how

[8:02] it's going to be which is what it is now. Okay.

[8:05] » Any of you have any questions? >> Yes. So first of all I'd like to say

[8:09] that I personally had um interactions with Mrs. Patel and she's completely

[8:13] lovely and have had really positive experiences. I wanted to ask her and her

[8:18] daughter if there's anything they wanted to share with us before we make this

[8:21] decision. >> No. Thank you.

[8:28] » Okay. I have I have no questions or concerns.

[8:30] » Okay. >> No other questions? No.

[8:32] » Yes, sir. >> The application was thorough and

[8:34] complete and everything was satisfactory.

[8:36] » Wonderful. If there are no other public if there are no other comments, I'd like

[8:40] to accept a motion to close the public hearing.

[8:44] » Second. >> So move.

[8:46] » Second. >> All in roll call vote.

[8:50] » Anita Meckllinmberg. I. >> Ta Hecman. I

[8:52] » Kevin Roach. I congratulations. It's all set here.

[8:57] » So, close the hearing and hopefully you'll vote. Do you vote now to whether

[9:01] to approve the transfer? >> It's on the agenda after one other item.

[9:04] » Oh, okay. Well, we'll >> which probably in about 5 minutes. So,

[9:08] » we'll we'll uh sit back and wait then. And uh thank you very much.

[9:13] » Yes, it's good to see a business sustain in Norfol. So,

[9:17] » do we have anyone on Zoom other than Anita?

[9:20] » There's only one more person. Uh,

[9:23] » oh, that's that's for our next license. >> That's the next license.

[9:27] » Okay. So, we have no no one here for a public comment. Accept a motion to

[9:31] approve the transfer of the section 15 section 15 off- premise package to all

[9:36] alcoholic licenses from Shabbam Variety Inc. DBA Lind Variety to Lexum Market

[9:44] Inc. DBA Main Street convenience condition upon receipt of all required

[9:49] documentation. So moved.

[9:53] » Second. >> All in favor? Roll call vote.

[9:58] » Anita Meckllinburgg. I >> TA Hickman. I

[10:01] » Kevin Roach. I >> Thank you.

[10:04] » All set. >> Very good.

[10:05] » All set. >> And and Mr. Chair, I assume that

[10:08] includes the approval of the manager also as part of that.

[10:11] » Yes. Yes. >> It was in the application. Thank you

[10:13] very much to all of you for your time. >> Thank you.

[10:15] » Thank you.

[10:20] Uh let's see. Vote to approve application for

[10:24] amendment requested by >> Sarthi

[10:30] » Sachi >> Sarthi

[10:31] » Sadi Convenience Inc. vote for change to DBA from Liquor World to Liquor Hub

[10:38] condition upon receipt of all required documents.

[10:42] So this is um an existing lency just wishes to change the name of the their

[10:47] their site from liquor world to liquor hub.

[10:50] » Okay. >> And we have all the documentation.

[10:52] » We have all the documentation. It's complete and satisfactory. And the um

[10:57] applicant is actually on uh we have him on Zoom.

[11:02] » Any questions or concerns? Anita, >> I just would be curious why we're

[11:07] changing the name. That's all. It's just a curiosity question.

[11:12] Hello. >> Hi.

[11:14] » How are you? >> Good. How are you?

[11:16] » Good. Good. Uh, thank you for allowing me to join the Zoom meeting.

[11:23] » Can you help us understand the purpose of the name change?

[11:27] » Yes, I can. So, I have we changed in a past name north of Purma to Liquor World

[11:36] uh five six years ago. That time um you know we had you know grocery sandwiches

[11:44] uh milk everything else and then you know we stop carrying that. So we

[11:48] changed to liquor world and now lot of liquor world you know coming in the

[11:54] people using the same name. the customer get confused between Millies and Medway

[12:00] and all that location and I have a store in Sharon Menon in

[12:06] Newton under liquor hub and I trademarked that so now customer don't

[12:11] get confused so that's why I'm just changing the name for our regular

[12:15] customer >> okay thank you

[12:17] » thank you

[12:21] » okay do I get it >> and um nope there's no need for other

[12:24] comment Okay, you're all set. The name change is all set.

[12:28] » Oh, you have to vote. >> Oh, okay. Roll call vote.

[12:32] » Anita, >> well, can I make the motion? I make the

[12:36] motion to approve the application for uh requested by Sari Convenience to

[12:44] change from DBA Liquor World to Liquor Hub.

[12:49] » Second. >> Roll call vote.

[12:53] » Anita Meckllinburgg. I >> Ta Hickman. I

[12:56] » Kevin Roach. I >> Congratulations. You're all set. The

[13:01] name change is approved. >> Thank you.

[13:03] » Thank you, Rob. Nice to see you. Hope you remember me.

[13:06] » Yeah. Oh, Nick. >> Yes.

[13:12] » It's been 26 years in location. >> Yeah.

[13:17] » Makes me sound like I go there a lot. >> I was going to say, how often do you

[13:22] frequent? Yeah. >> Thank you everyone.

[13:24] » Thank you. >> Thank you.

[13:25] » Thank you. >> Byebye.

[13:27] » I'd like to vote Amanda Johan MCP MCPO as a chief town chief procurement

[13:37] officer. >> So as you may um as you may know uh in

[13:41] towns without a town manager, the select board is actually responsible for

[13:46] appointing the CPO. We're required to have a CPO who is also an MCPPO.

[13:51] Um, and I've talked to Amanda. She's willing to take on the extra work and

[13:56] she'll be working with the other um, MCPPOS's we have on staff. Uh, currently

[14:01] we have two. Tim and Todd Lindmark are also MCPPOS. And I'm currently a third

[14:06] of the way through the training. So, we'll have a robust team to ensure that

[14:10] we we get things right on procurement. >> Wonderful.

[14:14] » Yes, I'm in favor of that. >> Me, too.

[14:18] » Okay. Any discussion? So, Okay.

[14:21] » No, I think Amanda is a great choice. >> I'd like to make a mission a motion to

[14:27] appoint Amanda Johan as MCPO chief procurement officer.

[14:34] » Second.

[14:37] » Roll call vote. >> Adita Mcklinberg. I

[14:41] » Ty Hickman. I >> Kevin Roach I.

[14:44] » Okay. Moved by Kevin, seconded by Tai. Very good.

[14:49] » Okay. Okay. So, item six is zoning amendments. Um, as is common practice,

[14:53] the planning board has created some amendments they'd like to put in front

[14:58] of town meeting. We have accepted them and closed the warrant. Now, we have to

[15:01] refer them back to the planning board for their hearing.

[15:06] » Okay. So, >> so just to clarify, Mr. Gity, this is

[15:10] just a logistical procedural um maneuver,

[15:14] » correct? Y. >> So, there's no changes to the language

[15:16] since we last reviewed it. Uh, no. Town council has seen them and has several

[15:21] minor scribers errors kind of changes they're making to it, but nothing

[15:25] substantive. >> Okay.

[15:29] » Okay. So, uh,

[15:37] » so I I can make the motion. Um, I will motion to uh refer the zoning amendments

[15:43] to the planning board in preparation for the May 13, 2026 annual town meeting.

[15:49] Second. >> Roll call vote.

[15:53] » Anita Meckllinburgg. I >> TA Hickman I.

[15:56] » Kevin Roach. I

[16:00] do >> you have to read all the street

[16:02] acceptance here. >> So uh this Yes. The next item is there

[16:05] are four street acceptances that um that the planning board will have to hold a

[16:11] hearing on. uh they have preliminarily accepted the uh think the streets are

[16:17] fine for acceptance. They're Norway Farms Drive, Bristol Pond Road, Blue

[16:20] Heron Way, and Malard Way in two separate subdivisions. Uh and the motion

[16:24] would be to send them again back to the planning board for their hearing.

[16:28] There's some different technical language in this motion that that's that

[16:32] we use on street uh acceptances, but it's the same idea. We're sending it

[16:36] back to the planning board for hearing. Okay.

[16:39] » Would you like to make the motion? >> Sure.

[16:42] Um, I'd like to make a motion to um refer the street acceptances back to the

[16:50] planning board for in preparation for the May 13th annual town meeting um as

[16:56] printed in the agenda. >> Second

[17:01] » roll call vote. >> Anita Meckllinburgg I.

[17:04] » Ta Hickman. I >> Kevin Roach I.

[17:07] » Very good. So that covers our voting items for today. Um we can we have a

[17:15] discussion items of general updates from both the select board and the uh the

[17:19] administrator and then just warrants um that you will have to move and vote. But

[17:26] Mr. Vice Chair, if you'd like, I can go after you. You wanted to say something.

[17:31] » I would just like to to thank the DPW for doing a good job during the

[17:36] snowstorm and everything else. and I'd like to thank all the town employees for

[17:41] trying to deal with the tough budget situation we have moving forward. So,

[17:46] » yeah, I'd like to echo that. I think the DPW did an excellent job with the storm.

[17:52] Um, I heard a lot of positive feedback from community members. I think we were

[17:57] well prepared and Rob, thank you for, you know, getting everybody where they

[18:01] needed to be and get, you know, with the communication. I think it, you know, you

[18:05] did a great job as well. So, um I just want to say well done.

[18:09] » Well, I get to stay safe and dry. So, >> appreciate the folks who are out there.

[18:14] » And I would just echo those those sentiments. Um we're very lucky to have

[18:18] the team that we have. >> Okay.

[18:21] » Any town ministry updates? >> I have um three updates. Uh we received

[18:26] last week a complete streets grant which will cover $499,000 worth of the project

[18:31] to bring the shared use path down Medway branch from I believe Tucker down to

[18:37] Barnstable. So that's it's actually an interesting project that will help

[18:42] access to the senior center for one part. We've actually when I visited the

[18:46] senior center last week we there was a person there who says she lives right

[18:49] around the corner and she can't walk there

[18:51] » because there are no sidewalks there. So, this will help that project along.

[18:55] We've also finally received the letter from the Department of Correction, which

[18:58] will help us secure the federal earmark um and the state match for the project

[19:03] that'll help us start looking at tying the prison sewer system to Town Center.

[19:10] » Wow. Can you repeat that again? >> Yeah. So, we got $900,000. It's This

[19:15] isn't going to pay for the project. Um and there's another I believe $200,000

[19:20] $240,000 state match. we we can obtain which will at least get us uh down the

[19:26] road on engineering and planning for bringing the sewer line which exists at

[19:31] the prison. They have a a a system down Main Street toward town center.

[19:37] » So they agreed to it. >> They they have agreed.

[19:41] They have agreed. We don't have we're you know there aren't negotiations on

[19:45] capacity or anything like that happening yet. We're going to deal with

[19:47] engineering. >> Wonderful. So what that 900,000 will

[19:52] allow us to do >> engineer.

[19:57] » So just the pre-work that pre-development work.

[20:00] » I don't expect the 900k will get us to spades in the ground.

[20:05] » Yeah. >> Um but

[20:08] » it's a start. >> We'll see.

[20:09] » That's great. And and just for people watching um you

[20:14] know people say we need more business in town. We need more business. We need

[20:17] more business. and our lack of sewer is a real impediment in terms of our

[20:21] attractiveness to um local business. So, this is very exciting if we can bring

[20:26] sewer to the center of town in terms of attracting outside business to our

[20:30] community. >> Yes. Yeah. We could

[20:32] » You're very welcome. We could have Rich McCarthy come in um and he'll be here

[20:36] next week actually anyway on Monday uh and he could I didn't want to steal too

[20:40] much of his thunder, but he could talk about both the grant and the DOC sewer.

[20:43] » Okay. >> For a project. Um and the final thing is

[20:46] uh Todd Linmark and I have been having our department head meetings as you know

[20:49] about the budget and trying to develop a preliminary FY27 budget. Um we'd like

[20:55] time on next Monday's agenda to to present an initial view of where we are.

[20:59] Now as you all know uh this is going to be a very difficult budget year for

[21:02] Norfor. >> We've asked the department has to come

[21:05] back with budgets that are essentially continuations of um current level of

[21:10] service, >> right? no expansions um but no drastic

[21:14] cuts either. We've had some good news in the form of health insurance costs

[21:18] coming in lower than we expected. Now, to be sure, we were expecting or

[21:23] budgeting for an 18% increase, which didn't happen, which is great. It turned

[21:27] out to be a 9% increase, which is still far too large to support. You know, it's

[21:33] it's unsustainable. Um, unfortunately, King Phillip numbers came back um,

[21:39] several hundred thousand higher than we had hoped, essentially erasing the

[21:43] reduction we saw in the healthcare costs.

[21:47] The result, >> the King Phillip school budget.

[21:49] » Yeah. Yes. The our our portion of the King Phillip school budget came in at a

[21:53] little Well, it's about there was some action this evening. Um, we think we're

[21:58] going to be at about a 6.9% increase over last year and King Phillip is

[22:03] actually they uh the initial increase they gave us was larger and we talked

[22:07] with the superintendent and the other town man uh town administrators for the

[22:10] district and um I believe they've made an effort to reduce that number. So

[22:15] that's very appreciated um on our part. I know our chair the chairman of the

[22:20] committee uh Jim Leehan who you all know very well um was essential in that. Um

[22:26] so but overall the town budget we're we're we're a town budget that grows by

[22:31] a little over 4%. >> Yeah.

[22:33] » This year. Um and and excluding the schools we're about 75% uh employee

[22:38] costs. So there aren't a lot of big drivers uh here that we can play with.

[22:44] the 4% overall growth is pretty much actually less than what you'd see from

[22:48] the normal cost of living and step increases that are inherent in the

[22:52] personnel costs. Um the four schools we contribute to King Phip Tri County,

[22:57] Norfol Aggie and Norfol local are about 55% of well last year they were about

[23:02] 55% of our operating budget and there's not a lot of leverage available for us

[23:06] to move those budgets. Mhm. >> Um, and it's important to remember that

[23:11] starting in FY23, we've been using significant non-recurring revenue. First

[23:15] ARPA funds and and then uh free cash to balance the budget.

[23:21] When combined with the Tri County project, which we voted to support but

[23:25] never voted the funding for in any form, um, we're looking at a budget that is

[23:30] considerably out of balance this year. So next week Todd and I will walk you

[23:34] through that and um start to discuss with you what you feel the options are.

[23:40] Uh we were we are scheduling a meeting with our department heads and the

[23:44] advisory board for Saturday the 7th of March which is only about 10 days away.

[23:50] Um we have a place and a um a time and we're going to be hearing from

[23:56] department heads most department heads um and and discussing things with them.

[24:01] we won't be getting uh the elementary school won't have their budget set yet

[24:04] at that point. So, they won't be able to significantly participate.

[24:11] » But, >> Mr. Gity, can you share the place and

[24:15] time because the community is welcome to that meeting. Is that correct?

[24:18] » Yes. So, um the place will be the um will be the Freeman Kennedy uh school

[24:26] cafeteria and the time I actually don't have an

[24:29] exact time for yet, but we'll >> you can let people know in the second.

[24:34] » Yes, we'll post it as soon as possible. >> Okay.

[24:39] » Thank you. >> Thank you.

[24:40] » Anything else? >> Uh we have warrants.

[24:43] » Okay. Uh we have to move the uh approve the warrants that

[24:46] um would like to make a motion to approve the warrants.

[24:49] » I would like to make a motion to approve the warrants as printed in the agenda.

[24:55] » Second. >> Roll call vote.

[24:59] » Anita Meckllinburgg I. >> Taggy Sigman. I

[25:03] » Kevin Roach I. >> We do not have any minutes to approve

[25:08] this week. >> Okay. Okay.

[25:10] » Like to make a motion to adjourn the meeting.

[25:14] If there's nothing else. >> Second.

[25:17] » I'll save my I'll save my updates for March 2nd. That's fine.

[25:21] » You sure? >> I move that we adjourn the meeting.

[25:24] » Okay. Seconded. Roll call vote. >> Anita Meckllinburgg. I

[25:28] » Tman I. >> Kevin Roach. I

[25:32] » Thank you everybody. Thank you.

Norfolk Select Board Meeting - February 25, 2026

Transcript