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[0:01]
foreign
[0:03]
[Music]
[0:11]
thank you so much Monty
[0:14]
um good evening I would like to call to
[0:17]
order the town of Rockport Board of
[0:18]
selectman's meeting for Tuesday June 27
[0:22]
2023 the time is 604 p.m
[0:26]
um good evening everyone it's nice to
[0:28]
see such a crowd tonight
[0:31]
um first on our agenda we have a public
[0:34]
comment and just so everyone knows there
[0:36]
will be another public comment at the
[0:38]
end of the meeting as well
[0:40]
so if you would like to make a public
[0:42]
comment just raise your hand or use the
[0:44]
hand raise signal and Monty will
[0:47]
um calling you
[0:53]
anyone
[0:55]
I see a few hands up Terry I see I'm
[1:00]
sorry Monty I see Barbara Kaplan Dr
[1:03]
Teresa rizzolo
[1:12]
Barbara you've been unmuted
[1:15]
I can unmute thank you yes I am I
[1:18]
unmuted
[1:19]
yes you are go ahead fabric happened for
[1:23]
Ocean Avenue thank you for the
[1:25]
opportunity to speak this evening and
[1:27]
good evening
[1:28]
uh I've been coming to most of the uh
[1:31]
select board meetings for the last six
[1:33]
months and as you know I've always been
[1:35]
bringing up about Arbor funds because we
[1:38]
know it's allowable to allocate arpa
[1:40]
funds to affordable housing uh other
[1:43]
towns have done so Gloucester got much
[1:45]
more as a big city allocated according
[1:48]
to a million so and we know Rockport
[1:50]
needs to develop affordable housing it's
[1:53]
not the whim of a few people because at
[1:55]
the moment we're at 4.6 when Granite
[1:58]
Crossing is done but we need the state
[2:00]
wants us to be at 10 so it's a given
[2:02]
that we have to get moving on this and
[2:05]
after many months we were told a survey
[2:07]
would be produced which it was uh last
[2:10]
Monday night or afternoon and it was
[2:14]
posted on the website
[2:16]
the huge disappointment was there was no
[2:20]
check box for affordable housing
[2:23]
there was a second check box that
[2:26]
combined non-profits and housing in
[2:28]
general muddled together
[2:30]
there fortunately was a write-in box so
[2:33]
people in the know about Arc of funds
[2:36]
and affordable housing could express
[2:38]
their views there
[2:40]
but what about
[2:42]
just a person in Rockport who doesn't
[2:44]
know much about affordable housing and
[2:47]
the need we have to get going on it or
[2:50]
maybe nothing or anything about ARCA
[2:53]
funds how are they going to connect
[2:54]
without a checkbox
[2:58]
so that was extremely disappointing uh
[3:02]
also it was stated Ms Wilkinson I
[3:04]
Believe by you that once a survey came
[3:06]
out it would be on uh social media I've
[3:10]
checked every day it is not there it was
[3:13]
also stated that there would be copies
[3:15]
paper copies for those who aren't
[3:17]
computer-save at the Town Hall
[3:20]
I went to town hall yesterday because an
[3:22]
elderly neighbor was asking me about
[3:24]
that she I keep her poster on everything
[3:27]
this lovely secretary knew nothing about
[3:29]
it walked I believe into your office Mr
[3:32]
Fiera and it took a few minutes for her
[3:35]
to come back so I only noted that
[3:38]
because I haven't rushed because we had
[3:39]
to print some more of the ones that were
[3:41]
on the bench outside were were all
[3:43]
picked up apparently oh well you were
[3:45]
and you were handed a copy as you walked
[3:47]
out okay so you print yes so you printed
[3:50]
it I I was one they were all taken
[3:52]
before
[3:53]
but the town clerk didn't know anything
[3:55]
about it when I went to that uh place
[3:58]
before I came to you so I was just
[3:59]
hoping that you you know didn't just
[4:03]
print it because I asked for it I would
[4:04]
expect a stack to be at the town clerk
[4:06]
so that people coming in and out of the
[4:09]
office could fill it and I would expect
[4:11]
on the website after explaining about
[4:13]
Arbor you just say you can also pick up
[4:16]
a paper copy a town hall to fill out so
[4:20]
anyway uh that is basically it a a
[4:24]
colleague of mine at the Rockport
[4:26]
affordable housing Coalition asked you
[4:30]
Mr Viera to please uh meet about the
[4:34]
survey as soon as it came out because of
[4:36]
our issues with it so there was no
[4:38]
meeting and you didn't even answer her
[4:41]
so that was that so once the survey is
[4:44]
created it's created I can't go back in
[4:46]
and and alter it we've released it I
[4:49]
understand that and but it's just a
[4:51]
matter of responding to her and saying
[4:54]
and then uh uh we would like it to get on social
[5:00]
media since that you stated that I would
[5:03]
like to see a stack of copies by the
[5:05]
town clerk doesn't have to be big
[5:07]
probably many people aren't going in
[5:09]
there and when the results of the survey
[5:11]
come out we would like to see them
[5:13]
published including the box of writing
[5:17]
so that everybody in town can know uh
[5:20]
the results and it will reflect uh your
[5:24]
decisions will reflect those results and
[5:26]
thank you very much for this opportunity
[5:28]
to speak
[5:30]
great um I I will say that I'm a little
[5:33]
bit behind this week with my weekly
[5:35]
update on social media I've had some
[5:37]
personal stuff going on but um before
[5:40]
the end of the week I'll do my kind of
[5:43]
weekly update and I'll share it there so
[5:46]
it will be getting out on social media
[5:48]
if I may comment on that real quick um I
[5:51]
was going to share it early in the week
[5:53]
uh when it did it first come out but one
[5:55]
of the first response we got before was
[5:57]
even on social media was to please keep
[6:00]
it within Rockport and don't put it on
[6:02]
the web where Outsiders can answer those
[6:05]
questions so that's why I I decided not
[6:07]
to post it on Raw Port stuff and other
[6:09]
social media Pages because that does
[6:12]
influence the results from people living
[6:15]
in Rockport and Beverly that joined
[6:17]
those pagers that that want to comment
[6:20]
on certain things so that's why I held
[6:22]
back but I do understand the want for
[6:24]
the social media brush but I just want
[6:27]
to make that clear that one of the first
[6:28]
response we got in the box there was to
[6:32]
make sure I try to keep it within
[6:34]
Rockport only yeah and I I will also
[6:37]
comment just Barbara on one one of the
[6:39]
things that you said
[6:40]
um are what what we end up doing with
[6:43]
the funds is it's actually up to the
[6:46]
board of Selectmen just so I I want I
[6:48]
want everyone to not be under the
[6:49]
expectation that you know for example if
[6:52]
there's a hundred thousand dollars that
[6:54]
we follow the results of the survey
[6:56]
accordingly
[6:58]
um I will tell you I think the survey I
[7:00]
haven't seen any of the results yet
[7:02]
because we don't even see them until
[7:03]
it's over but I think the um Town
[7:06]
Administrator can tell us how many
[7:08]
result how many we have so far but I
[7:10]
think it's very well answered
[7:13]
um but I will tell you that whenever we
[7:15]
post something like this a lot of the
[7:17]
results are
[7:19]
um spam and are actually vile to be
[7:22]
perfectly honest
[7:24]
um so I think we will certainly find a
[7:26]
way to appropriately release the results
[7:28]
but I just don't want people to be under
[7:30]
the the impression that if 98 of the you
[7:35]
know of the sir of the people that
[7:37]
answer the survey say you know to build
[7:39]
a cement parking garage in the middle of
[7:42]
town that that we are going to build a
[7:44]
parking garage in the middle of town it
[7:46]
is up to us but of course like with
[7:48]
anything in town we do of course take
[7:51]
the input of the residents
[7:53]
seriously
[7:55]
um Mitch can you just tell us how many
[7:56]
we have or like had at one point do you
[7:59]
have any idea
[8:00]
um there's there's currently
[8:05]
206 responses great
[8:09]
cool so we're off to a good start which
[8:11]
is great
[8:13]
um okay
[8:14]
Monty all you
[8:19]
Teresa you've been unmuted
[8:22]
thank you
[8:24]
um I sent a a
[8:27]
series of questions to the board of
[8:30]
Selectmen and I've spoken to Ross
[8:32]
Brackett about it can we get your name
[8:34]
and address for the record
[8:37]
I'm sorry can we get your name and
[8:39]
address for the record oh yes I'm sorry
[8:41]
Cherry rosalo seven or excuse me for
[8:45]
Summit in Rockport
[8:48]
um I had sent a
[8:52]
series of questions that I was
[8:54]
requesting be put on the agenda for the
[8:57]
Selectmen and Sarah graciously responded
[9:00]
to my email but my point was not so much
[9:02]
to have one person answer but to have a
[9:06]
series of discussions with regard to
[9:08]
issues that uh are of concerned to me
[9:11]
into several other people my questions
[9:13]
related to the issue of the Long Beach
[9:17]
property and Long Beach leases and
[9:20]
several of my questions
[9:23]
um were directed toward asking for more
[9:28]
um Clarity and more transparency from
[9:31]
the board of Selectmen very specifically
[9:35]
and Sarah responded to this and I'm
[9:38]
hoping that she shared the email with
[9:39]
you I think I sent it to all of the uh
[9:42]
Selectmen but that you know there's
[9:46]
um I think a great need for transparency
[9:49]
and and a
[9:52]
um understanding for us as townspeople
[9:55]
if there are any conflicts of interest
[9:57]
on a personal professional or financial
[10:00]
basis for any of the Selectmen and by
[10:04]
that I meant very specifically do any of
[10:06]
you manage properties for the leases do
[10:10]
you own a house as an individual as part
[10:13]
of your family trust as an LLC or have a
[10:16]
family member who is one of the people
[10:19]
who leases the properties
[10:21]
uh or do you consult with any of the
[10:23]
leases uh in any capacity I think that
[10:27]
given that this uh property is probably
[10:31]
one of the biggest Financial issues for
[10:33]
the town
[10:34]
and that the desire to have everything
[10:38]
up front to have any conflicts of
[10:40]
interest uh to be known by all of us is
[10:43]
very important and uh speaks very highly
[10:47]
about whether or not things are being
[10:49]
done ethically and with uh everything up
[10:53]
above board
[10:54]
in addition to that I asked uh that uh
[10:58]
the information about our current
[11:03]
um Law Firm that is handling the lease
[11:07]
and Sarah directed me to look at the
[11:10]
website for The Firm and from anything I
[11:13]
gather there it still didn't answer my
[11:15]
question which is this kind of land is
[11:19]
very very specific in terms of uh the
[11:23]
need for Land Management of coastal
[11:26]
waterways and seacoasts and issues
[11:29]
protecting the rights for public rights
[11:32]
of way and we've already had two
[11:34]
instances in town where we did not end
[11:37]
up the town did not end up in a very
[11:39]
good position along the Atlantic path
[11:42]
and
[11:44]
um at least from my reading of the
[11:47]
current lease the town is in Jeopardy uh
[11:51]
for
[11:52]
um
[11:53]
the properties if there is a
[11:56]
catastrophic failure of that wall
[11:58]
and again the protection
[12:02]
of the idea that will only if we are
[12:05]
neglectful will we be held liable we
[12:07]
already know that people are pretty
[12:09]
litiginous
[12:10]
and I really would like to know that the
[12:13]
law firm uh is not just the house
[12:16]
Council but that really maybe we need
[12:18]
counsel that is specifically have the
[12:21]
expertise that is
[12:24]
um very unique in this environment so
[12:27]
um I request that the board consider
[12:29]
those and that we have those as an
[12:31]
agenda item that will be published so
[12:33]
that other people will be aware of that
[12:35]
and that we can have those questions
[12:37]
responded to in a timely manner thank
[12:40]
you sure so Dr rosillo just to clarify I um I received your email obviously and
[12:47]
I took the time to answer all I'd be
[12:49]
happy to read the entire email
[12:51]
um which may be actually the beginning I
[12:54]
should read because I think it's helpful
[12:55]
and it probably explains the situation
[12:58]
so I wrote dear Dr rosolo thank you for
[13:01]
your email to the board of Selectmen I
[13:03]
wrote it is so unfortunate that you did
[13:05]
not attend our last meeting as I
[13:07]
provided an extended update on the Long
[13:09]
Beach lease situation Nation those in
[13:12]
attendance found it very helpful I would
[13:13]
recommend that you watch the recording
[13:15]
of our meeting which can be found here
[13:17]
on the town website with a link and then
[13:20]
all Town meetings are posted here
[13:22]
usually within a few days of the meeting
[13:23]
occurring as most of the items on your
[13:26]
list are actually questions and not
[13:28]
appropriate agenda items I am happy to
[13:31]
answer them below or explain how the
[13:33]
board can address them and then I went
[13:35]
through and I answered each question for
[13:37]
example who do we use for Town Council I
[13:40]
explained who we used I sent you to
[13:42]
their website and then the one that I
[13:45]
did say was an appropriate was
[13:46]
appropriate for you to ask and a meeting
[13:48]
was the conflict of interest and I wrote
[13:50]
the most appropriate time to ask this is
[13:52]
during one of the public comment
[13:54]
portions of our meeting there's one at
[13:56]
the beginning and end of each meeting if
[13:58]
you attend and ask the questions I will
[14:00]
make sure that each board member has
[14:01]
ample time to answer them if they choose
[14:04]
to do so personally so I think at this
[14:07]
point it's totally appropriate we can
[14:10]
ask each board member if they'd like to
[14:12]
answer about the conflicts of interest I
[14:14]
also think it's helpful to remind people
[14:16]
that obviously we follow you know we we
[14:20]
do our best to follow the math
[14:21]
Massachusetts
[14:22]
the open meeting law the the
[14:26]
um the ethics laws and several of us
[14:29]
it's a it's a personal thing but when we
[14:31]
do have a conflict we file a disclosure
[14:34]
with the town clerk over the years I've
[14:37]
filed several sometimes you go in and
[14:39]
update them and so um typically like if
[14:42]
you know if someone is curious on a
[14:44]
topic if one of us does have a a
[14:47]
personal financial interest you can
[14:49]
always go check with the town clerk's
[14:51]
office they can pull our folder but um I
[14:54]
do think it's totally appropriate to ask
[14:56]
that and I would love to if people want
[14:58]
to would like to answer the question I'm
[15:00]
happy to give them time to do so
[15:04]
anyone want Mrs seleckman Murphy
[15:07]
yes uh thank you madam chair I have zero
[15:10]
conflicts with uh Long Beach I never
[15:12]
have in fact I ran when I ran for Board
[15:15]
of selectman that was one of the uh
[15:17]
items that I brought up that I do not
[15:19]
have conflicts with uh Town employees uh
[15:23]
working family members things of that
[15:25]
nature in terms of uh the koplin and
[15:27]
Paige they are an outstanding law firm
[15:30]
of one of the top Municipal law firms in
[15:32]
the Commonwealth and they have a
[15:34]
tremendous amount of resources so I'm
[15:36]
very confident uh in that our Law Firm
[15:39]
helping us with the uh the leases so but
[15:43]
to answer uh Terry's question I do not
[15:45]
have any conflicts great
[15:48]
um selectman Donnelly
[15:49]
yeah hi um I have zero conflicts as well
[15:53]
um no connections at all with anyone on
[15:56]
Long Beach
[15:57]
except for
[15:59]
um that Dairy made
[16:03]
uh selectman Lilia
[16:07]
oh I think you're muted
[16:12]
nope one more time
[16:16]
thank you both muted and unmuted at the
[16:18]
same time there you go
[16:20]
nope he's still muted Monty
[16:29]
hmm
[16:31]
okay there you go run muted now no
[16:34]
excuse me I have no conflicts I do not
[16:37]
own any property in Long Beach I know no
[16:39]
one who owns property in Long Beach
[16:42]
um I feel quite comfortable in saying
[16:45]
that my decisions will not be biased in
[16:47]
any particular way
[16:48]
right select my bracket uh yes I have no
[16:52]
conflicts and as I've mentioned before I
[16:54]
see them just as any Resident of
[16:56]
Rockport so I do have contact with them
[16:59]
on a regular basis if they want to reach
[17:01]
out with asked questions as I do with
[17:02]
all residents that's the only connection
[17:04]
I really have
[17:07]
great and then um I'll answer for myself
[17:09]
I do not have any conflicts either I do
[17:12]
have a property management business I
[17:14]
don't and have never managed any
[17:16]
properties down on Long Beach
[17:19]
um own a house I do live uh in the Long
[17:22]
Beach neighborhood which I've always
[17:23]
disclosed but we all live somewhere in
[17:26]
town
[17:27]
um but I have no
[17:29]
um none of these the answer to all these
[17:31]
is is no for me so thanks
[17:34]
um and then the rest of your questions I
[17:36]
believe I answered I don't
[17:38]
um at our last meeting I gave an
[17:39]
extended update I explained that we are
[17:43]
working hard to get the lease completed
[17:46]
we last week maybe have might have been
[17:49]
10 days ago had a very long a several
[17:51]
hour executive session
[17:53]
um the goal our my kind of personal goal
[17:57]
for the board is for us to finish our
[18:00]
work on the lease and be able to release
[18:02]
it to the public is this summer
[18:05]
um August at the latest I think it would
[18:07]
be really nice to be done with it for
[18:09]
the town and the residents and for the
[18:12]
board
[18:13]
um
[18:14]
and I think that's it for now
[18:26]
yeah
[18:27]
JT you've been unmuted
[18:30]
thank you uh Toby Arsenio 95 Granite
[18:34]
Street uh yesterday afternoon before the
[18:37]
computer malfunctioned I attended part
[18:39]
of the government and bylaw committee
[18:41]
meeting they were discussing uh Z
[18:44]
cephalus petition article on the
[18:47]
possible removal of uh public officials
[18:51]
um that was referred to the government
[18:53]
and bylaw committee uh by a motion at
[18:56]
town meeting offered by uh Pat Brown
[19:00]
um and it was a proper motion uh in that
[19:03]
it named a Time certain they were to
[19:06]
report back to the fall time meeting now
[19:09]
it turns out that there will be in
[19:11]
effect no report uh the government and
[19:14]
bylaw committee which had previously
[19:16]
decided to recommend against Mr sepulis
[19:19]
petition article has decided that it is
[19:23]
not in their purview or their uh charge
[19:26]
to offer any uh improvements so uh
[19:30]
although Pat Brown's motion was in order
[19:33]
uh those who voted for it in good faith
[19:36]
thinking that they might be offered
[19:38]
something that might or might not be an
[19:40]
improvement uh will find themselves
[19:42]
disappointed they will be offered the
[19:45]
same petition article and presumably the
[19:48]
same recommendations from the government
[19:50]
and bylaw committee this may all be
[19:53]
according to Hoyle and according to law
[19:55]
but it is not good government and it is
[19:58]
not in good faith
[20:00]
um the whole point of delaying it was
[20:02]
possibly to get something better or that
[20:05]
presumably was the hope of Pat Brown
[20:07]
when she offered it and uh the citizens
[20:10]
voted for it this ties back to my
[20:14]
concerns last week uh not last week at
[20:18]
your last meeting when I spoke about a
[20:20]
possible lighting bylaw to deal with
[20:22]
Municipal and uh commercial uses and was
[20:26]
told by Denise Donnelly write it
[20:29]
yourself as it turns out the government
[20:31]
and bylaw committee is only responsible
[20:34]
for reviewing the bylaws every five
[20:37]
years and beyond that we're making
[20:40]
recommendations on citizens petition
[20:42]
articles or any other articles that come
[20:45]
before the town meeting relating to
[20:47]
bylaws and the charter they're not
[20:50]
respond possible for fixing anything
[20:52]
else and have decided narrowly that that
[20:55]
is not their concern if it's not in the
[20:58]
bylaws already
[21:00]
they're not going to come up with
[21:02]
anything to help you so the narrowest
[21:06]
possible approach to um their duties and
[21:10]
uh if you read what's in the code of
[21:13]
bylaws now they're Justified uh and it
[21:16]
doesn't cover the field and I'm asking
[21:19]
you uh to uh get the government and
[21:22]
bylaw committee to one of your meetings
[21:24]
along with the moderator and discuss the
[21:27]
possibility of uh giving the government
[21:30]
and bylaw committee a new and extended
[21:33]
Charter
[21:34]
with the planning board uh they are the
[21:38]
guardians of the zoning bylaw not the uh
[21:42]
board of appeals the planning board and
[21:44]
it's up to them to offer possible
[21:46]
improvements but it's not the same
[21:48]
pattern for the government and bylaw
[21:50]
committee if it isn't there uh and they
[21:54]
decide it's defective it's not their
[21:56]
business and uh you fall back on Denise
[22:00]
uh Donnelly's unhelpful suggestion go do
[22:03]
it yourself so my question is to you are
[22:07]
you willing to invite them in uh for a
[22:11]
meeting the government and bylaw
[22:12]
committee along with the moderator and
[22:15]
discuss how we might uh come up with a
[22:17]
better charge uh more comprehensive for
[22:20]
the government and bylaw committee
[22:23]
I would like an answer not now uh but at
[22:28]
your next meeting
[22:29]
okay thank you Toby
[22:37]
Laura you've been unmuted oh thank you
[22:40]
um I'm Laura Evans 77 High Street and I
[22:44]
wanted to support what uh Barbara Kaplan
[22:47]
earlier said about uh disappointment in
[22:50]
the arpa fund survey after a drum roll
[22:54]
of about six months there comes out a
[22:57]
survey that has four check boxes on it
[22:59]
and a comment field and none of the
[23:02]
check boxes said the words affordable
[23:04]
housing in them and so it's um and and
[23:08]
it's due on Friday it's due in three
[23:10]
days so I think if Miss Wilkinson goes
[23:13]
and posted on social media at the end of
[23:14]
the week that's the day that it's due
[23:17]
so I think to get you know there there
[23:19]
are clearly ways where you could stop
[23:22]
the responses from being vile as Miss
[23:25]
Wilkinson said by asking people to sign
[23:27]
I think a lot of people would be happy
[23:29]
to to sign and say what their opinions
[23:31]
are but we need the public needs
[23:34]
background on what you know what are the
[23:36]
allowable buckets that the arpa money
[23:38]
can go into the 2.1 million dollars that
[23:41]
we have and one of those buckets is
[23:43]
affordable housing and but none of that
[23:45]
background was given on this survey so
[23:48]
it was disappointing and I really look
[23:50]
forward to being able to look at the
[23:53]
results when we're ready for them and
[23:56]
when they're ready when they're due and
[23:58]
secondly
[24:00]
um I was wondering about
[24:03]
um I think I might have asked this
[24:05]
before about the Personnel Board on our
[24:07]
in our town bylaws on page 20 the
[24:10]
Personnel Board is described and yet we
[24:12]
don't have a Personnel Board that I
[24:15]
think would really help a lot of us
[24:16]
volunteer tiers and employees in town to
[24:19]
be able to appeal to a board of our
[24:21]
peers you know whenever there's an issue
[24:23]
and not incur any kind of legal costs
[24:26]
but it's written into the bylaws for a
[24:29]
reason and uh I I just wonder what the
[24:32]
status of that is and then the last
[24:35]
question I have is
[24:38]
um the job of assistant Town manager
[24:41]
um when Mitch goes on vacation who can
[24:44]
stand in for him I mean we've always you
[24:46]
know we have an assistant librarian and
[24:48]
you know an assistant
[24:50]
um Town manager we it's a it's a
[24:53]
position that's funded and hopefully
[24:56]
will be advertised and and filled so
[24:58]
Mitch gets some support in that regard
[25:01]
um and the town
[25:03]
mitigates its risk of you know just
[25:05]
having all our eggs in one basket thank
[25:08]
you very much for the opportunity to
[25:10]
speak
[25:13]
it's a Town Administrator not a town
[25:15]
manager uh Laura and uh the reason I say
[25:18]
that because there is a big difference
[25:19]
between the two and the authority so
[25:21]
thank thank you for your comments
[25:28]
great
[25:30]
um and uh one other clarification if
[25:33]
um if I didn't realize that the arpa
[25:35]
survey was supposed to end on Friday if
[25:38]
I if we don't if it gets posted in the
[25:39]
next few days we'll extend it we won't
[25:42]
I'll absolutely not share it on social
[25:44]
media the day the day it closes so no
[25:46]
worries we can easily extend it longer
[25:50]
um okay next Monty Jared Roy you've been
[25:53]
unmuted uh thank you very much uh thank
[25:55]
you for the opportunity to speak uh
[25:57]
Gerard Roy I live on Main Street a
[25:59]
Rockport and I was just curious I'm I'm
[26:01]
supporting uh both Barbara and Laura and
[26:05]
an affordable housing situation
[26:07]
um I was just curious is it possible to
[26:09]
distribute the uh the survey on the
[26:12]
emergency contact uh website that the
[26:14]
town has for snow emergencies and no
[26:17]
parking uh during the winter and is that still operable
[26:21]
um number one and uh number two is it is
[26:27]
it possible to update the survey if
[26:28]
you're going to extend it from this
[26:30]
Friday to add on various
[26:33]
um subjects like uh schools uh
[26:37]
infrastructure affordable housing so
[26:39]
that people have something to choose from and what you know uh that
[26:44]
falls in line with what the priorities
[26:45]
for are for the town and for the
[26:47]
selectment in the town to to give a
[26:51]
little help to the community to help
[26:55]
them make a decision
[26:57]
um and I also want to say I think this
[26:59]
is a prime time for affordable housing
[27:00]
in the State uh and the country and uh
[27:03]
in the community because of our governor
[27:06]
that's um putting a lot of programs uh
[27:09]
in effect I'm sure you all heard of the
[27:10]
50 million dollar uh green uh Green Bank
[27:14]
that would serve as a really good
[27:15]
leverage for additional funding for
[27:17]
affordable housing as well as this uh
[27:20]
any funds from um what I call what I'm
[27:22]
calling the code funds the arpa monies
[27:25]
that would leverage uh you know uh
[27:28]
private monies other private monies
[27:31]
for uh either
[27:33]
um new construction or rehab renovation
[27:37]
of uh of dwellings for um affordable
[27:40]
housing
[27:41]
um and and also finally I guess I'm
[27:43]
curious uh given the um the the shock on uh on affordable
[27:51]
housing with the uh uh uh select
[27:54]
person's uh stance is on affordable
[27:56]
housing where because I mean there's no
[27:58]
sense um all these people that are on
[28:00]
the affordable housing committee and
[28:01]
other committees in southern committee
[28:02]
that was formed by the selectment for um
[28:05]
uh putting this energy into affordable
[28:08]
housing you have to select people uh uh presently uh in existence with the
[28:13]
town are not favorable for affordable
[28:16]
housing it's wasting a lot of energy for
[28:18]
a lot of people that are very devoted to
[28:21]
um affordable housing and that's all I'm going to say thank you
[28:24]
very much uh Miss Wilkinson great thanks
[28:27]
um just to answer a couple of your
[28:28]
questions quickly
[28:30]
um I think I'm not I I don't believe you
[28:32]
were at our last meeting but we were all
[28:35]
um I I would say very adamant that we
[28:38]
are extremely supportive of affordable
[28:41]
housing three out of the five Selectmen
[28:44]
right now are working on separate
[28:46]
affordable housing different affordable
[28:48]
housing projects
[28:50]
um and I think it's fair to say that we
[28:52]
all have the same goal I don't want to
[28:53]
put words in anyone's mouths but
[28:55]
um of increasing affordable housing in
[28:57]
town so um if you'd like more detail
[28:59]
you're welcome to watch our last
[29:02]
recording or the last several recordings
[29:04]
you can you're also welcome to reach out
[29:05]
to any of us individually
[29:09]
um and just to answer a few of your
[29:10]
questions we can't change the survey
[29:12]
because we already have 200 responses
[29:15]
um and the survey was crafted because
[29:19]
um while the handful of people here are
[29:22]
saying there should have been a specific
[29:24]
check box for affordable housing we
[29:26]
received lots of feedback that there
[29:28]
should have been lots of other very
[29:30]
specific check boxes so
[29:33]
um we honestly we want to get as much
[29:35]
feedback is possible and most people I
[29:38]
know who have taken the time to answer
[29:40]
it have you know know about arpa funds
[29:44]
or it's pretty easy to look up what
[29:45]
they're but if we were to to be very
[29:47]
specific and list every single
[29:50]
um organization every single use I think
[29:52]
that kind of defeats the purpose you
[29:55]
know we're trying to get General ideas
[29:56]
of what what the townspeople support and
[29:59]
I'm I'm hopeful that that overall the
[30:01]
responses will do that um the other
[30:03]
thing is we've discussed and I'll follow
[30:05]
up with the Town Administrator we can't
[30:07]
use the emergency code red system
[30:10]
because
[30:12]
um we've we've made it very clear to the
[30:14]
townspeople that that's going to just be
[30:16]
used for specific emergencies but that
[30:18]
system does have uh an opt-in for do you
[30:23]
want to hear about non-emergency type
[30:25]
things and that just I believe is an
[30:27]
email that can go out and we've
[30:29]
discussed we discussed sending this out
[30:31]
that way so I will follow up and if
[30:33]
that's a possibility we will do that in
[30:35]
the next day or so as well if it hasn't
[30:37]
already happened so thank you for your comments
[30:41]
next oh her I think her um select
[30:44]
milalia did you want to make a comment
[30:45]
on that as well yes I I want to
[30:49]
um speak to my own personal conviction
[30:51]
with regard to affordable housing
[30:53]
I hope that my brethren who in
[30:57]
particular are as supportive of
[30:58]
affordable housing
[31:00]
um as I am on that is not always not
[31:03]
always been clear
[31:04]
um I would say to anyone in the town of
[31:08]
Rockwood if you are in favor of
[31:10]
affordable housing then go to the CPC
[31:12]
get the CPC to support affordable
[31:14]
housing my experience with the CPC of
[31:18]
late based on a situation over which I
[31:21]
as a chairman of the Rockwood affordable
[31:23]
housing trust fund had nothing to do
[31:27]
with the lateness of that application
[31:29]
that should be overlooked by the CPC
[31:33]
should have been reconsidered last week
[31:35]
should be reconsidered in the future and
[31:38]
if there is conviction in town for
[31:40]
affordable housing then go to the CPC
[31:43]
lay it at that door tell them that they
[31:45]
are the ones who have immediate funds
[31:47]
that could be used for affordable
[31:49]
housing therein lies the beginning of
[31:53]
all of this thank you
[31:58]
I just want to make sure it's clear that
[32:01]
the public does know that the CPC has
[32:03]
already given roughly 2.4 around that
[32:06]
range of of money to affordable housing
[32:08]
it may have not have been to the
[32:10]
committee that so I've been lay your
[32:12]
chairs but they have given money to
[32:13]
affordable housing and not for it I just
[32:16]
want to make sure that's cool yeah I
[32:18]
would I need to respond
[32:20]
that is not affordable housing in the
[32:22]
nature of what is needed in town it is
[32:25]
not
[32:26]
um housing for new families is not
[32:30]
housing for young people all of the
[32:32]
money that's been given in town is for
[32:33]
people who are retired or who are
[32:36]
elderly or who are extremely on
[32:39]
short-hand finances there is a distinct
[32:42]
difference between what has been
[32:45]
financed to this point in time by CPC
[32:48]
and what should be financed in the
[32:50]
future so don't confuse the two please
[32:52]
them
[32:54]
slack mellow yeah unfortunately I have
[32:56]
to agree with slackman bracket CPC has
[32:59]
been more than supportive of affordable
[33:01]
housing they follow the rules your your
[33:05]
proposal had nothing to do with the
[33:07]
subject it was following the rules of
[33:09]
CPC which we can we could argue and
[33:11]
debate about but I think it's clear CPC
[33:14]
has given thousands and thousands of
[33:16]
dollars to action for rent assistance
[33:18]
during covid during regular times their
[33:22]
supportive CPC of affordable housing
[33:24]
they have I believe supported almost if
[33:28]
not every affordable housing proposal
[33:31]
that has been made over the the last
[33:33]
several years at least since I've been
[33:34]
on the board of Selectmen and that has
[33:36]
touched people of all ages of all
[33:39]
backgrounds and all types of of
[33:41]
situations
[33:46]
go ahead did you want to make one more
[33:47]
comment well it's that's not true it
[33:49]
simply is not true the affordable
[33:51]
housing the housing that has been
[33:53]
provided to people in town is for those
[33:56]
who are in their retirement phase no
[33:58]
let's not provide weight please
[34:01]
they have not you have not provided any
[34:03]
housing for young marrieds there has not
[34:06]
been an effort to try to develop land
[34:08]
associated with small housing says start
[34:11]
at homes it's not true that that all
[34:15]
aspects of affordable housing by state
[34:17]
guidelines
[34:19]
um have been supported by CPC and cpc's
[34:22]
guidelines and if I want to call a spade between the uh individuals the
[34:28]
other individuals on the board of
[34:30]
Selectmen who are supposedly supporting
[34:32]
on affordable housing it is that part of
[34:37]
the board of Selectmen which has
[34:38]
frustrated the application that went to
[34:41]
CPC that is not if in fact if in fact
[34:45]
what affordable housing trust had been
[34:48]
activated in a timely fashion there
[34:50]
wouldn't be this question about a late
[34:51]
application and to say that that
[34:54]
application or the receipt of that
[34:56]
application is the um Crux of the
[35:00]
problem is overstating or or missing the
[35:03]
point the point is we need affordable
[35:05]
housing and the funds sit with the CPC
[35:08]
and for the CPC to sit on funds to the
[35:11]
end of the year and to laud themselves
[35:13]
with regard to the fact that they have
[35:15]
funds available and not use them is a
[35:18]
crime it's a sin it isn't for the
[35:20]
benefit of Rockport if I may Madam chair
[35:22]
sure just I just want to say regardless
[35:25]
of the late timing of the application or
[35:27]
not the application itself was was very
[35:31]
was incomplete as far as I'm concerned
[35:32]
and the committee as of now regardless
[35:35]
of when we started at the state it's in
[35:37]
now still doesn't have a vision or a
[35:39]
route they want to go they were asking
[35:41]
for five hundred thousand dollars to put
[35:43]
into a fund that's it so that money
[35:45]
would be sitting there for another year
[35:46]
probably until they figure out what
[35:48]
they'd wanted to do so to continue to
[35:50]
attack the CPC for an application that
[35:52]
the committee didn't even know was being
[35:54]
submitted by the chairman until after it
[35:56]
was submitted and then the fact that it
[35:59]
was late that's what all the questions
[36:01]
were asked at the meeting at CPC so
[36:03]
people can go to that and I encourage
[36:04]
them to go to the airport affordable
[36:05]
housing meetings as well and ask
[36:07]
questions as I've asked what does what
[36:10]
is their vision and I've gotten an
[36:11]
answer different from each member so
[36:13]
that's where I stand and I mean I don't
[36:16]
want to prolong this any longer but
[36:17]
right I'm done on the medicine right
[36:19]
thank you Russell I want a final comment because the
[36:24]
distinction that you draw between the Conservation Commission and
[36:28]
the Rockford affordable housing trust is
[36:31]
an artificial distinction the
[36:34]
Conservation Commission receives funds
[36:36]
to be unspent for any specified period
[36:39]
of time until they amass an amount of
[36:41]
money that can be used to purchase a lot
[36:43]
that is the same kind of situation that
[36:46]
the Rockford affordable housing trust
[36:48]
finds itself in whether everything that
[36:50]
we would like to do in the future has
[36:52]
been defined in our plan is totally
[36:55]
immaterial because the five hundred
[36:56]
thousand dollars that in fact would be
[36:58]
transferred to a fund for other Rockford
[37:01]
affordable house Housing Trust Fund
[37:03]
would be the start of an accumulation of
[37:06]
money that would then enable us to do it
[37:08]
you don't question the Conservation
[37:10]
Commission why do you question
[37:12]
affordable housing and try to put an end
[37:15]
point to affordable housing but
[37:17]
conservation can go on as if there's
[37:19]
some sort of blind
[37:22]
um reasoning there or or completely
[37:24]
understood reasoning when in fact there
[37:27]
is no project in mind when you in fact
[37:29]
give money to the Conservation
[37:31]
Commission
[37:32]
Herm this is we we need to end this and
[37:34]
move on but this is so sad and you're
[37:37]
arguing and being argumentative and
[37:40]
blaming the CPC blaming other members of
[37:42]
the board of Selectmen frankly this is a
[37:44]
big reason why we aren't further along
[37:46]
with affordable housing it's the reason
[37:48]
why two of us please let me finish it's
[37:51]
the reason why two of us have broken off
[37:54]
and started a separate Land Trust
[37:56]
because frankly the only let me finish
[37:58]
the only way affordable housing besides
[38:02]
the projects that are already happening
[38:04]
and there are six family units in the
[38:07]
Granite Street project I toured it it's
[38:09]
beautiful those are free for families to move here and be here but the only
[38:14]
way real affordable housing is going to
[38:17]
happen is if we stop arguing and work
[38:20]
together to make it happen it's not a
[38:22]
competition we just want to see you know
[38:25]
we just want to see families who work
[38:28]
here who want to live here who want to
[38:30]
send their kids to school here and
[38:32]
blaming CPC blaming other members of the
[38:34]
board of Seckman is not going to help us
[38:36]
towards that goal
[38:40]
I encourage anyone who's interested to
[38:43]
reach out to any of us individually to see what we're personally doing what
[38:47]
our beliefs are
[38:49]
um the struggle is real you know I hate
[38:51]
to say it but the struggle is real but I
[38:54]
think the beauty of it is CPC has a lot
[38:56]
of money over the years they have proved
[38:59]
that they are adamantly adamantly in
[39:02]
support of affordable housing in all of
[39:04]
the different projects they support and
[39:07]
um personally I you know look forward to working with them going forward to
[39:11]
get funding your words your words are
[39:14]
wonderful and they always are and they
[39:16]
always gloss over what in fact are the
[39:18]
feelings and to say that either you or
[39:21]
Denise did not frustrate the start
[39:25]
of the beginning of the Rockwood
[39:26]
affordable housing trust fund is to deny
[39:30]
what actually happened and you were
[39:32]
pressured by social media to take a vote
[39:35]
two weeks later don't don't do that
[39:37]
because you were you were pressured by
[39:38]
social media to take a vote two weeks
[39:40]
later and to activate the Rockport
[39:42]
affordable housing Trends try son after
[39:45]
two weeks before you had voted it down
[39:46]
so please don't let don't let your words
[39:50]
I won't let your words mask over the
[39:52]
fact that neither you nor Denise were in
[39:54]
favor of a Rockford affordable housing
[39:56]
trust fund as was instituted by the town
[39:59]
a town vote in 2017 and only activated
[40:03]
now in February of 2023.
[40:06]
her I'm just gonna make one more comment
[40:08]
then we need to move on I've been on the
[40:10]
board of Selectmen for I think 17 years
[40:12]
social media has never ever as a has no
[40:17]
one else has ever influenced a vote or
[40:20]
any action I've taken and I can honestly
[40:23]
say that and and I actually am offended
[40:25]
that you would think that I'm actually
[40:27]
not even sure why you would think that
[40:29]
since you're not even on social media
[40:31]
but um we should take this for as always
[40:34]
I would love to sit down again and have
[40:37]
coffee over this or anyone can reach out
[40:39]
to me
[40:40]
um I've had a lot of affordable housing
[40:42]
coffees lately and we were making good
[40:44]
progress so I look forward to keep keep
[40:47]
working
[40:49]
um let's move on because we have a big
[40:50]
agenda tonight
[40:53]
is it Mr scharfstein Jerry scharstein today hi uh Jerry
[41:00]
scharstein to a twin light circle I'd
[41:03]
like to acknowledge and thank uh select
[41:06]
person bracket for participating in a
[41:09]
school school committee meeting around a
[41:12]
month and a half ago and listening to uh
[41:14]
some Rockport students speaking about
[41:16]
solar panels uh and I am looking forward
[41:19]
to listening to them this evening so
[41:22]
Ross I want to thank you for following
[41:24]
through and extending an invite to these
[41:26]
students
[41:29]
thanks so much we're excited to have
[41:31]
them they're getting to see like
[41:33]
democracy small town democracy in action
[41:35]
tonight right
[41:37]
government it's got its purest
[41:41]
um anyone else for public comment
[41:45]
great I thought um since we do have some
[41:48]
students joining us this evening
[41:51]
um I was wondering if we if anyone would
[41:52]
object if we moved them to the beginning
[41:55]
and then um and then do the did the two
[41:57]
interviews is everyone okay with that
[41:59]
okay Ross do you want to get an intro to
[42:02]
uh oh hold on we have one more oh
[42:05]
Carol's here does does Carol have to go
[42:09]
okay oh so why don't we um and Ron is
[42:12]
here as well why don't we do Carol's
[42:14]
interview and then
[42:16]
um Ron do you want to wait till after
[42:18]
the solar thing or you don't you're okay so let's do um Carol tarico's um
[42:23]
interview for historic commission and
[42:25]
then we'll then we'll jump to the solar
[42:27]
is that okay
[42:29]
great good evening Carol hi I'm so sorry
[42:32]
I worry I'd love to have heard the
[42:34]
students speak but I need to run a niece
[42:37]
to the airport all good all good we
[42:40]
don't want her to miss her flight
[42:41]
exactly
[42:43]
um if you wouldn't mind just telling us
[42:44]
we've all we all received the nice
[42:46]
letter that you sent if you could just
[42:48]
tell us a little bit about your
[42:49]
background and basically what leads you
[42:52]
to um want to give of your time
[42:55]
sure so it's Carol chericoa I live at 25
[42:57]
dock Square which most of you probably
[43:00]
know as four chimneys
[43:03]
um in the downtown historic district
[43:06]
um I actually have a professional
[43:08]
background in historic preservation
[43:10]
after college I went to BU and got a
[43:13]
master's degree in historic preservation
[43:14]
planning and worked for the Boston
[43:16]
landmarks commission for about nine
[43:19]
years
[43:20]
um and the Boston landmarks commission
[43:23]
includes all the sort of local historic
[43:25]
district commissions like Back Bay and
[43:26]
Beacon Hill on the south end and so I'm
[43:29]
pretty familiar with the concept of
[43:30]
design review
[43:33]
um during that time I went to law school
[43:36]
at night at Suffolk and um
[43:40]
went into private practice for a number
[43:42]
of years in real estate law and in in
[43:46]
the year 2000 I began working for the
[43:49]
federal government for the general
[43:51]
Services Administration and I'm a real
[43:53]
estate lawyer for the GSA and one of my
[43:56]
responsibilities is compliance with the
[43:59]
National Historic preservation act so
[44:01]
although I'm still not directly in the
[44:04]
preservation field I do work on
[44:06]
preservation matters all the time my
[44:09]
husband Joe and I moved to Rockport two
[44:11]
years ago we've had
[44:14]
um
[44:15]
actually two hearings before the
[44:17]
historical commission for 25 dogs square
[44:19]
and we had great experiences both times
[44:22]
and most recently I was involved with
[44:26]
The UU on the application for solar
[44:30]
panels on the cleave Street side of the
[44:34]
building I was
[44:36]
um I didn't know what to expect going
[44:38]
into the hearing we spent a long time
[44:39]
preparing we made sure that our
[44:41]
application met all the criteria and I
[44:44]
have to say the historical commission
[44:46]
was fantastic they listened to our
[44:50]
arguments understood that what we were
[44:54]
proposing met the criteria and approve
[44:56]
the application
[44:58]
um and so that you know was just another
[45:01]
positive experience with the historical
[45:03]
commission
[45:04]
um after that hearing of vacancy arose
[45:07]
and several people reached out to me to
[45:10]
see if I'd be interested in filling the
[45:13]
position and here I am mm-hmm
[45:17]
thank you so much
[45:19]
um questions from the board
[45:23]
Denise so thank you thank you Carol for
[45:25]
stepping up I think you'll be a
[45:27]
wonderful addition to the commission and
[45:29]
uh is there any a particular uh project
[45:32]
that you have some expertise on that you
[45:35]
think that you might be in a benefit to
[45:37]
the board
[45:38]
I think one of the things that I would
[45:41]
love to see happen
[45:43]
um is to educate uh District residents
[45:47]
on why these districts exist it seems
[45:52]
um there's not a lot of information that
[45:55]
sort of readily accessible that says you
[45:58]
know that the Broadway district is
[46:00]
significant for this reason the Mount
[46:01]
Pleasant district is significant for
[46:03]
this reason here's some historical
[46:06]
information about the you know about the
[46:09]
development of the district
[46:11]
um these are important architectural
[46:14]
types that you'll find in the district
[46:16]
so I feel like it would be great to
[46:19]
educate the public
[46:21]
um
[46:22]
so that folks understand in advance of
[46:26]
submitting an application what is
[46:29]
significant about their residence or the
[46:32]
building that they own
[46:34]
wonderful
[46:36]
great thank you
[46:37]
great Denise did you yeah I I didn't
[46:40]
have a question I just wanted to
[46:44]
um comment that for such a small town we
[46:47]
are incredibly lucky for the
[46:49]
concentration of talent that we have
[46:51]
here your background is just perfect
[46:54]
Carol and um
[46:56]
we're so grateful that you're stepping
[46:59]
forward to volunteer so thank you thank
[47:02]
you I'm looking forward to it one second
[47:04]
then
[47:05]
um her
[47:07]
Carol welcome
[47:08]
um your background certainly seems as if
[47:10]
it would be an asset to the time I'm
[47:13]
glad to have you raise your hand and say
[47:16]
that you're interested in the historic
[47:17]
Commission I questioned with regard to
[47:20]
one point of that will continue to be a
[47:23]
point of interest and concern to some
[47:26]
how do you feel about replacing the
[47:29]
single pane glass with insulated glass
[47:32]
given the fact that we all need to save
[47:34]
energy
[47:36]
so um those folks that are on the
[47:39]
historic commission know that this is an
[47:41]
issue we've dealt with personally
[47:44]
um
[47:45]
our house was built in 1806 and when we
[47:50]
got it we had original Windows
[47:53]
um they were in horrible shape
[47:57]
um and we initially you know we sort of looked at all options
[48:04]
um replacing with double pane windows
[48:06]
versus restoring and
[48:10]
um I've I felt
[48:12]
um that I didn't want to be the one who
[48:15]
was going to
[48:18]
um
[48:19]
you know toss 26 200 year old windows
[48:23]
like it just it felt wrong
[48:25]
um and so we looked at other options and
[48:27]
so what we've done is we have interior
[48:30]
storms and we had the windows restored
[48:33]
by a company based in Hyde Park and
[48:38]
um you're welcome to come by I'll show
[48:40]
you our windows they're absolutely
[48:42]
spectacular
[48:43]
um you could never sort of get that same
[48:46]
look both the glass and the sort of
[48:48]
detail the like very the very delicate
[48:52]
muntins and that sort of thing so so
[48:55]
we're super happy with our project
[48:58]
um I think a single pane window with an
[49:00]
interior storm is a great solution it
[49:02]
was a great solution for us it's not
[49:04]
going to be the perfect solution for
[49:06]
everyone and
[49:08]
um there are going to be situations
[49:09]
where you know historic Windows do need
[49:12]
to be replaced
[49:14]
um and as you know as you can tell by
[49:16]
the fact that I was supporting the solar
[49:19]
panel project on The UU that I'm also
[49:22]
like super aware of environmental issues
[49:24]
and I think that the two can coexist
[49:28]
thank you
[49:30]
great thank you Ross thank you um hello
[49:34]
Carol um knowing the process and the
[49:37]
criteria you need to meet four solar
[49:39]
pianos and the new technology coming in
[49:43]
and they're readily available to get
[49:45]
solar panels do you think it's time for
[49:46]
their struggle committee to look at
[49:48]
exempting solar panels in their
[49:50]
historical districts or do you think
[49:51]
it's still
[49:52]
um good to have it go through the
[49:53]
application process knowing that I think
[49:56]
they're at three approved and two have
[49:57]
been denied so far historical districts
[50:01]
I think it makes sense I mean we're such
[50:03]
a small community I think it makes sense
[50:05]
to go through the application process
[50:08]
um some towns like p-town have actually
[50:11]
Exempted solar as long as the
[50:15]
application meets certain very strict
[50:17]
criteria like you have to have a dark
[50:19]
colored roof and the panels need to be
[50:21]
all black non-glare
[50:23]
um so those are the kind of things that
[50:25]
Rockport does look at and consider
[50:29]
um but I think I think it makes sense to
[50:31]
keep the applications you know keep keep
[50:34]
solar as part of the types of changes
[50:37]
that we would review
[50:39]
thank you great that's so helpful that
[50:42]
was actually the question that I was
[50:44]
interested in as well yeah um any more
[50:47]
questions from the board Carol do you
[50:49]
have any questions for us
[50:51]
I don't think so great yeah I think I
[50:53]
think you're a perfect fit between your
[50:55]
experience you also coincidentally
[50:58]
bought one of my favorite historic homes
[51:00]
downtown
[51:02]
um but I think you will be such an asset
[51:04]
to the commission and um I can't thank
[51:06]
you enough for stepping forward and as
[51:09]
Denise said we are like we are just so
[51:12]
like the amount of talent skill and
[51:15]
talent we have on our volunteer
[51:17]
committees just continues to blow me
[51:19]
away so thank you so much for for
[51:21]
stepping up
[51:24]
um is there a motion
[51:26]
yes Madam chair I moved at the board
[51:28]
appoint Carol Trico to the historical
[51:31]
commission for a term to expire on June
[51:34]
30th 2026 subject to the board
[51:37]
committees commissioned membership
[51:39]
policies great is there a second
[51:42]
great the motion has been made and
[51:44]
seconded any further discussion by the
[51:46]
board
[51:48]
hearing none uh selectman bracket
[51:51]
aye slackman Murphy
[51:53]
all right select my Lilia all right
[51:56]
select Mormon Donnelly I and select
[51:59]
woman Wilkinson aye the motion carries
[52:01]
unanimously thank you so much welcome to
[52:03]
the commission thank you thanks nice to
[52:07]
see you thank you safe driving to the
[52:09]
airport awesome thank you great
[52:14]
now
[52:16]
um Ron you sure you're okay if we do the solar okay perfect so we'll we'll
[52:20]
Swip skip around a bit do the student
[52:23]
solar panels and then we'll move on to
[52:25]
Mr lebar's interview
[52:27]
um you guys are talking about Ross
[52:33]
give an introduction to how you ended up
[52:36]
here and then we'll let you go so
[52:39]
um it just happens to be that uh expect
[52:41]
for uh suck my Wilkinson had a step out
[52:43]
for one meeting so I attended the school
[52:45]
community meeting for her and it
[52:46]
happened to be the meeting where they
[52:48]
were presenting the solar panel projects
[52:50]
for the school and um you know I thought
[52:53]
it would be interesting to have them
[52:54]
come to us and you know if we could have
[52:57]
you know further down the line a little
[52:58]
bit if we can help them push the project
[52:59]
along and get the solar panels at the
[53:01]
school I know we had issues and the
[53:03]
first time the project came around but
[53:04]
if we can see if there's anything
[53:06]
different
[53:07]
um this round we can get them going and
[53:09]
I think I'll let them introduce
[53:11]
themselves I do think Ken Park is
[53:12]
missing that was one of the other
[53:13]
students but all that all that the three
[53:15]
ladies introduce themselves great so why
[53:18]
don't you guys introduce yourself you
[53:19]
can just give us your names and what uh
[53:21]
what grade you're in what grade you're
[53:23]
going into I won't make you say your
[53:25]
addresses and then um and then why don't
[53:27]
you tell us a little bit about your
[53:28]
project
[53:29]
okay I'm roomy Quorum and I'm going into
[53:32]
my freshman year I'm Ava May mirrors and
[53:35]
I'm also a freshman I'm Lucy mywellski
[53:38]
and I'm also going to freshman year so
[53:40]
this project just a little
[53:43]
um history
[53:45]
um just recently uh Civics has become a
[53:49]
required class for Massachusetts 8th
[53:51]
graders to take and as kind of like a
[53:54]
final exam in that class you have to do
[53:56]
a cap project
[53:58]
and that stands for civic action
[54:00]
so we thought that for our project we
[54:04]
could try to figure out a way to get our
[54:06]
school to kind of embrace more
[54:08]
environmental friendly energy options so
[54:12]
through some research and help from our
[54:14]
teachers we figured that solar panels
[54:17]
would probably work best so now here we
[54:19]
are we've continued doing research on
[54:22]
solar panels and how to kind of move it
[54:24]
along but it really just started from a
[54:28]
school project but now the year's over
[54:29]
so we have kind of all taken it as um
[54:32]
like a personal project and we really
[54:34]
all feel passionate about this
[54:37]
and thank you for having us tonight yeah
[54:40]
thank you great so do you want to tell
[54:42]
us a little bit about the project about
[54:44]
do you have like a PL like about the
[54:46]
project so far like what yes
[54:48]
yeah we have a slideshow prepared that
[54:52]
would be if that's okay we could show to
[54:54]
you yeah sure do I have permission to
[54:57]
share it
[54:59]
here let me try to share screen
[55:03]
where is that yes these kids are so
[55:06]
technical no they're they're better
[55:07]
they're like better and quicker than we
[55:09]
are
[55:12]
hands down hands down
[55:15]
okay so can everyone see this did I do
[55:17]
it right okay I did awesome
[55:20]
okay okay
[55:21]
so hello we are rising freshmen who
[55:24]
graduated from Rockport Schools and we
[55:27]
are also grateful for this opportunity
[55:29]
and thank you all so much and Lucy man
[55:32]
take it away
[55:33]
okay so just for some background
[55:37]
information our mission is to decrease
[55:40]
the amount of CO2 produced by installing
[55:42]
solar panels at the Rockport School
[55:45]
District
[55:46]
um though this began as a school project
[55:48]
we quickly realized that this was a much
[55:50]
more personal matter because the
[55:52]
environment and it's like rapidly
[55:54]
declining health is a matter that's
[55:55]
greatly important to us especially
[55:57]
because we live in a Coastal Community
[55:59]
and we are happy and willing to fight
[56:02]
for this no matter how long it takes and
[56:04]
how hard it is episode
[56:07]
okay our progress so far so like I
[56:10]
mentioned we started in civics class but
[56:13]
bringing it out to the community on May
[56:15]
3rd we went to a school committee
[56:17]
meeting and presented to them
[56:19]
and then on May 16th we met with Mr
[56:22]
scharfstein and other members of the
[56:24]
Unitarian Universalist Society of
[56:27]
Rockport and they provided us with a
[56:29]
huge amount of support and guidance
[56:31]
and just a few days ago we joined a zoom
[56:34]
meeting with the Interfaith climate
[56:35]
Justice group and presented our work so
[56:37]
far once again we received support and
[56:40]
ideas to promote our work
[56:42]
um right now we're working on drafting
[56:44]
an article to the Gloucester Daily Times
[56:46]
so we can get a greater area of
[56:48]
interaction and also writing an article
[56:51]
to the Cape Ann Climate Coalition
[56:53]
monthly newsletter
[56:55]
and we created an Instagram account to
[56:57]
hopefully reach some of our age audience
[57:01]
so that we can publish our work and keep
[57:03]
the community updated and informed about
[57:05]
upcoming events and just information
[57:07]
about
[57:09]
just about solar panels and renewable
[57:11]
energy
[57:15]
okay so these are our plans for the
[57:17]
future
[57:18]
um so I think a big step would be
[57:20]
getting like an estimate for the cost
[57:22]
and the installation and how that would
[57:25]
work and then so that's definitely like
[57:28]
our main goal and then we're going to
[57:30]
promote it more via social media just to
[57:32]
get the word out so people like know
[57:35]
what's going on and they can be filled
[57:37]
in on like if there's being something
[57:38]
posted or there's like another meeting
[57:41]
maybe they can like sit in on
[57:43]
um we would like to contact Publishers
[57:45]
to help our work gain recognition so
[57:48]
that's why we're writing to the glossary
[57:50]
the Gloucester Daily Times Cape Ann
[57:52]
Climate Coalition newsletter and we are
[57:55]
going to
[57:57]
um just like try and find other people
[57:59]
that might be helpful or know something
[58:02]
about how to get this project like
[58:04]
happening
[58:06]
okay so some other research that we did
[58:09]
um
[58:10]
Hampshire college is in western Mass and
[58:14]
they use electricity generated from
[58:16]
solar panels at the RW Kern Center which
[58:19]
is this picture here and that is an
[58:21]
all-electric building
[58:24]
um and then Hampshire College also uses
[58:26]
a solar canopy the Hampshire College
[58:28]
farm and 19 Acres of solar fields
[58:33]
um and then they have another building
[58:34]
called the Hitchcock center for the
[58:36]
environment and that's another
[58:37]
all-electric building
[58:39]
um they were the first school to go
[58:42]
completely renewable
[58:44]
um so there's also quite a few schools
[58:47]
around us
[58:48]
um that have used some solar panels so
[58:51]
Swampscott Medway Joyce Middle School
[58:54]
Whitman Hanson Natick Taunton and UMass
[58:58]
Amherst in Boston University both signed
[59:02]
this this like project and Bill that
[59:05]
they're going to try to commit fully to
[59:07]
solar energy by 2040. so some bigger
[59:11]
schools and universities are working to
[59:13]
achieve this and more locally Manchester
[59:15]
Essex as some of you may already know
[59:18]
they use solar panels
[59:21]
so and then also how much energy we use
[59:25]
and how much that costs our school uses
[59:28]
33 percent of the town's total energy
[59:30]
and that's a lot that's a huge amount
[59:34]
and while we're using all that energy
[59:36]
we're we're contributing a lot of bad
[59:40]
stuff into the air to our Coastal
[59:42]
Community
[59:44]
um and our school's budget isn't huge
[59:46]
and fuel takes a a big portion of that
[59:49]
with solar energy we can greatly cut
[59:52]
that down
[59:53]
and then
[59:54]
um solar panel prediction we got this
[59:57]
um graph that Rumi can tell you more
[1:00:00]
about okay
[1:00:01]
so my stepdad who got was in charge of
[1:00:06]
like figuring out the layout of first
[1:00:07]
solar panels for my house personally
[1:00:10]
um has helped us here by trying to
[1:00:13]
figure out about like how many solar
[1:00:16]
panels the middle school would need and
[1:00:18]
this is how much that we could put on
[1:00:21]
the middle school and high school which
[1:00:22]
is about enough to just power the middle
[1:00:24]
school and we can always start off with
[1:00:27]
less like I know we already have one or
[1:00:30]
do more in power both schools but this
[1:00:32]
is just like a rough estimate and what
[1:00:34]
it would look like kind of also
[1:00:37]
like getting our Middle School
[1:00:39]
completely
[1:00:40]
um 100 powered by solar panels is like
[1:00:43]
huge tasks and we understand if that's
[1:00:45]
like unattainable at the like four years
[1:00:48]
that we have left at the school but what
[1:00:51]
we would really love to do is if we
[1:00:52]
could just start off by getting the hot
[1:00:54]
water powered by solar panels I think
[1:00:56]
that would like
[1:00:58]
help greatly and cut our costs by a lot
[1:01:01]
so
[1:01:04]
okay why are school bits
[1:01:07]
so our school has an open flat roof with
[1:01:09]
lots of sun exposure and this type of
[1:01:12]
roof is ideal is ideal for solar panels
[1:01:15]
because it's where they can get the most
[1:01:17]
done really
[1:01:18]
and we are also eligible for a lot of
[1:01:21]
Grants and donations because we are a
[1:01:23]
school like a lot of non-profits and
[1:01:26]
grants are
[1:01:28]
willing to help out schools more than
[1:01:31]
like private buildings
[1:01:33]
and Rockport Schools are not protected
[1:01:36]
by the historical board so we wouldn't
[1:01:39]
really have to like get permission from
[1:01:41]
the historical board to add solar panels
[1:01:43]
to our school
[1:01:45]
and
[1:01:47]
um switching to renewable energy energy
[1:01:49]
sources like solar panels at a place
[1:01:52]
like our school would make a big
[1:01:53]
positive impact on the community and
[1:01:55]
environment especially because just it
[1:01:59]
uses so much of the town's electricity
[1:02:01]
and so many people use energy from there
[1:02:05]
and adding solar panels will also help
[1:02:08]
the school financially because it will
[1:02:10]
lower utility costs and
[1:02:13]
probably eventually it will pay for
[1:02:15]
itself because
[1:02:16]
yeah we won't have to pay for it yeah
[1:02:18]
utilities
[1:02:20]
okay so closing q a we have
[1:02:24]
um three quick questions for you
[1:02:26]
um is this possible and what should our
[1:02:29]
next move be we have reached you guys
[1:02:31]
and now we are working to Branch off so
[1:02:35]
what should our next move be
[1:02:39]
I don't know if chairperson's working
[1:02:41]
since there but I'll I'll come and if he
[1:02:43]
doesn't want to go ahead Ross
[1:02:46]
um so I would say
[1:02:47]
um you know sit tight for now I'll you
[1:02:49]
know tomorrow I'll go or this week I'll
[1:02:51]
go back to the going to the uh town hall
[1:02:53]
and see what other options are and see
[1:02:55]
what options we have available
[1:02:57]
um we have green Community task force we
[1:02:59]
have DPW in general but
[1:03:02]
um we'll look at the grants that are
[1:03:04]
going to make it a lot a lot more viable
[1:03:06]
for the town so that will be our next I
[1:03:09]
mean obviously any step you guys can
[1:03:10]
take without us is going to be great but
[1:03:12]
for us to get involved and see how help
[1:03:15]
you move the project along we'll see
[1:03:17]
what we can do and see if we can connect
[1:03:19]
you up with in the town or other people
[1:03:21]
that offer grants
[1:03:24]
um thank you yeah
[1:03:26]
um who do you recommend that we can talk
[1:03:29]
to for more information about costs
[1:03:31]
grants and um like installation Etc
[1:03:36]
being right here off the top of my head
[1:03:38]
I'd have to go with uh Jerry who've
[1:03:40]
already spoke to
[1:03:42]
um he's going to be able to let you know
[1:03:43]
what the costs he went through he's also
[1:03:45]
on the green commute task force and um
[1:03:48]
if you can contact the former uh
[1:03:52]
camera I think it was the Nathaniel that
[1:03:54]
had the last Grant at the school and see
[1:03:57]
what he was looking at at that time so
[1:03:59]
we can get a a better estimate and oh
[1:04:01]
nothing yep obviously you know we had
[1:04:03]
issues in the first one I mentioned that
[1:04:05]
at the school committee meeting but um
[1:04:07]
you can get hopefully calls from them
[1:04:08]
and obviously we'll be able to provide
[1:04:10]
some information on that as well yeah it
[1:04:13]
might also be helpful for you guys to
[1:04:14]
reach out to Manchester Essex or other
[1:04:17]
schools and it would be interesting to
[1:04:20]
know if they were like student
[1:04:21]
initiatives like yours or you know who
[1:04:25]
kind of made it happen and maybe try to
[1:04:27]
talk maybe you know go and interview
[1:04:28]
those people
[1:04:30]
and try to ask them you know schools
[1:04:33]
Town buildings are kind of a lot
[1:04:35]
different from people's houses
[1:04:37]
um recently like on my house we actually
[1:04:40]
have solar for our hot water we don't
[1:04:42]
yet have solar for our electricity but I
[1:04:45]
recently got a quote and um I'd be happy
[1:04:48]
to connect you guys with the guy that
[1:04:51]
came and gave you know just gave me the
[1:04:52]
quote it was just a local Solar Company
[1:04:54]
so I would you know I think as much as
[1:04:56]
you can learn and just as many people
[1:04:58]
you can talk to would be great would be
[1:05:00]
excellent you guys are off to an awesome
[1:05:02]
start I will say that um this spring I
[1:05:05]
was invited to the Civics kind of the
[1:05:08]
Civics day and I saw you guys there and
[1:05:10]
I got to hear about all like so many of
[1:05:13]
the projects and I was just like I had
[1:05:16]
no words for how cool and awesome all
[1:05:18]
the projects are
[1:05:20]
um other kids have reached out to us
[1:05:22]
somebody just reached out who wants to
[1:05:23]
initiate student-led Beach cleanups and
[1:05:27]
um you know lots of really cool stuff
[1:05:30]
that you know you guys are where it's at
[1:05:32]
let me tell you
[1:05:34]
the future is the future is bright I
[1:05:37]
literally left that and then I got like
[1:05:39]
a whole huge envelope of thank you notes
[1:05:42]
that were so thoughtful and well written
[1:05:44]
I was like the future is bright we can feel good about what's coming
[1:05:48]
next because not only are you guys like
[1:05:51]
smart and involved but you really care
[1:05:52]
about the town and the future so we're
[1:05:55]
lucky to have you but I'll let any other
[1:05:58]
select people have that have a comment
[1:06:00]
make a comment obviously but um it may
[1:06:03]
be best if kind of Ross is your
[1:06:05]
connection to us and we can all kind of
[1:06:08]
communicate with him but happy to help
[1:06:09]
however we can
[1:06:11]
awesome thank you very much anyone else
[1:06:13]
want to comment
[1:06:15]
Paul
[1:06:18]
you're muted
[1:06:24]
oh good can you hear me now yeah
[1:06:28]
perfect uh well uh ladies
[1:06:30]
congratulations that's uh quite an
[1:06:32]
undertaking that you're doing
[1:06:34]
um we just put solar in on our house
[1:06:37]
about a I'd say plus four months ago and
[1:06:40]
it's wonderful and uh I think it's uh a
[1:06:42]
great initiative
[1:06:44]
um I was in Manchester when we put the
[1:06:46]
working as a school administrator uh
[1:06:48]
when we put the solar panels on so I can
[1:06:51]
uh I'm happy to speak to you you can
[1:06:53]
reach me by email and my my cell phone
[1:06:55]
is on the website uh as well but uh
[1:06:59]
happy to help in any way I can I know
[1:07:01]
Ross is uh going to help spearhead this
[1:07:04]
with you so but if I can be of any
[1:07:05]
assistance
[1:07:07]
um have you spoke to anyone in the
[1:07:08]
school department about this
[1:07:11]
um we haven't spoken much yet other than
[1:07:14]
the school committee that was our main
[1:07:16]
um
[1:07:18]
but um we're gonna try to reach out to
[1:07:21]
some of the or one of the Rockport High
[1:07:23]
School um science teachers that might be
[1:07:26]
able to help us kind of more with that
[1:07:28]
perspective
[1:07:29]
is the Green Team still up and running
[1:07:32]
at rhs
[1:07:34]
Middle School one
[1:07:36]
um it didn't have many members this year
[1:07:39]
especially because
[1:07:41]
um
[1:07:42]
you know Mr Alia wasn't putting it
[1:07:44]
anymore it was like a new person and so
[1:07:46]
I think that was kind of like
[1:07:48]
kind of failing this year but um I know
[1:07:51]
that there was a couple cat projects
[1:07:52]
actually about helping that out so I
[1:07:55]
think it will be better next year and
[1:07:58]
also I think in the high school there's
[1:08:00]
more um involvement yeah
[1:08:03]
well again I'm happy to help in any way
[1:08:05]
I can and thank you for taking this
[1:08:07]
initiative on and uh I think it would be
[1:08:10]
great for both schools to have solar and
[1:08:12]
there's plenty there's not a lot of
[1:08:13]
trees there so uh it would be really
[1:08:16]
nice to have so very impressive and
[1:08:19]
thank you again
[1:08:20]
thank you thank you and ladies excellent
[1:08:23]
job with your presentation and the the
[1:08:25]
PowerPoint everything you guys we need
[1:08:28]
one of you to help with our Tech from
[1:08:30]
our no no offense Monty but the kids are
[1:08:33]
quicker than you are
[1:08:37]
um okay anything else
[1:08:39]
future future select women yeah for sure
[1:08:43]
three of them her no I would like to
[1:08:47]
congratulate them as well I mean
[1:08:48]
obviously you've put a lot of work into
[1:08:50]
it you're only freshman you have three
[1:08:54]
years for your freshman now yeah I
[1:08:57]
assume uh ending this year so you've got
[1:08:59]
three years in high school now too in a
[1:09:01]
sense push this before we're incoming
[1:09:03]
freshmen we're incoming person then you
[1:09:05]
have four years that's even better but
[1:09:07]
uh by all means uh tap anyone who has
[1:09:12]
expertise in town you already have a
[1:09:14]
father there who is has expertise
[1:09:17]
um go to your science teachers they'll
[1:09:19]
help you
[1:09:20]
and if there is a local
[1:09:23]
organization that installs solar panels
[1:09:25]
they would simply just come to talk with
[1:09:27]
you about the relative costs and you
[1:09:30]
would then be able to do the math
[1:09:32]
Associated what with what it would cost
[1:09:35]
and then you come back to the town yeah
[1:09:37]
and say to the town here's what we need
[1:09:39]
as far as total cost is concerned we'll
[1:09:42]
do it over four years we'll divide it by
[1:09:44]
four but anyway
[1:09:46]
um stick with it you have a good start
[1:09:48]
thank you thank you thanks
[1:09:51]
great
[1:09:53]
um thanks so much ladies we'll talk to
[1:09:54]
you soon thank you thank you have a
[1:09:58]
great summer thank you
[1:10:00]
Jerry for your support
[1:10:03]
yeah thank you thank you so much
[1:10:07]
okay uh moving on next uh we have an
[1:10:10]
interview with Ron labarr for the uh
[1:10:13]
finance committee welcome Ron thanks so
[1:10:16]
much for your patience
[1:10:21]
great thanks so much
[1:10:24]
um why don't we do exactly what we did
[1:10:25]
with Carol do you mind just telling us a
[1:10:27]
bit about yourself how you ended up here
[1:10:29]
I know you've been to some finance
[1:10:31]
committee meetings right okay well
[1:10:34]
briefly uh so you have my resume but but
[1:10:37]
basically uh my wife and I uh were
[1:10:40]
looking for a place to settle down when
[1:10:41]
we were living in France and we ended up
[1:10:43]
finding Rockport and we bought uh for
[1:10:47]
our first home 18 years ago here so
[1:10:49]
we've uh we've been in and out well we
[1:10:51]
lived over overseas and then when I
[1:10:53]
retired 11 years ago or so we started
[1:10:56]
splitting our time 50 50 Rockport in
[1:10:59]
Houston which is where we were living
[1:11:01]
before we went overseas
[1:11:03]
um we've now decided to sell Houston and
[1:11:06]
to live here full time uh and that
[1:11:09]
changes the Dynamics of whether or not
[1:11:11]
we feel like we can and should
[1:11:14]
participate in the town and try to help
[1:11:16]
out so
[1:11:18]
um the idea of the finance committee
[1:11:20]
came up and I think it might be a good
[1:11:23]
fit uh so that's why that's why now
[1:11:26]
versus uh anytime in the last 11 years
[1:11:29]
so uh I'm a chemical engineer by uh by
[1:11:34]
education uh but I went over the
[1:11:36]
business side early on and so I have
[1:11:39]
about 35 years of business experience
[1:11:42]
primarily
[1:11:45]
selling doing contract negotiations
[1:11:48]
doing all the financing all the risk
[1:11:50]
analysis to build plants that our
[1:11:53]
company owned and operated literally
[1:11:55]
everywhere in the world I I was for 10
[1:11:57]
years responsible for the global
[1:11:59]
business unit for that so uh I have a
[1:12:02]
lot of project operations
[1:12:05]
um Finance experience that I hope I
[1:12:08]
could contribute somehow some way to the
[1:12:11]
town through the finance committee so
[1:12:13]
that's my brief
[1:12:15]
uh comments and uh any questions I'm
[1:12:19]
open to of course but I want to say one
[1:12:20]
good thing solar uh we're working on uh
[1:12:24]
bass Rocks Golf Club I'm head of a
[1:12:27]
subcommittee that is actually working on
[1:12:29]
solar for bass rocks and we're now at
[1:12:32]
the we've gone through the finance
[1:12:34]
committee we have approval so we're now
[1:12:36]
doing final bids on uh our solar our
[1:12:39]
solar system that we'd like to put in
[1:12:40]
bass Rock so I think everybody's doing
[1:12:42]
it so and I'm happy to help sounds like
[1:12:45]
there's a lot of help already there but
[1:12:47]
I'm happy to help if anybody wants to
[1:12:48]
see what we're doing so
[1:12:51]
awesome fantastic thank you
[1:12:55]
um questions from the board for Ron
[1:12:58]
pop
[1:12:59]
yes
[1:13:01]
thank you madam chair uh Ron how did you
[1:13:04]
find out about the opening on on the uh
[1:13:07]
finance committee and uh what What's
[1:13:10]
intriguing you about it other than you
[1:13:12]
know you want to give back and uh why the finance committee and not
[1:13:16]
something else
[1:13:17]
uh well actually uh is because I got
[1:13:21]
approached by by my neighbor uh who
[1:13:23]
who's on the finance committee uh so so
[1:13:26]
we you know we we've talked about it and
[1:13:29]
then I've met some of the committee
[1:13:31]
members and we've you know I'm open to
[1:13:34]
anything I was open to anything it just
[1:13:36]
it was the the opportunity that arose
[1:13:39]
that seemed to fit also fit my skill
[1:13:41]
sets
[1:13:43]
go well well thank you for stepping
[1:13:46]
forward I appreciate it we are we
[1:13:48]
appreciate it I'm sure
[1:13:49]
some other questions
[1:13:52]
her
[1:13:53]
no I also welcome Iran
[1:13:57]
um stepping forward coming out of
[1:13:58]
industry or you're not retired so you're
[1:14:01]
not really out of Industry this is a
[1:14:02]
secondary secondary hobby for you or is
[1:14:06]
that not true
[1:14:07]
uh no I'm I'm now finally finally out if
[1:14:11]
you call considered bass Rock's golf
[1:14:13]
club is my primary education
[1:14:16]
I have a lot of time and uh given your
[1:14:19]
age you have a lot of energy potential
[1:14:22]
energy to work uh in the sense of for
[1:14:25]
the benefit of the town and uh your
[1:14:27]
broad experience certainly is something
[1:14:29]
that I find impressive uh and uh
[1:14:33]
hopefully you can pare down your
[1:14:35]
expectations but yet still be a driving
[1:14:37]
force within Town
[1:14:40]
um to accomplish what needs to be
[1:14:42]
accomplished over the coming years
[1:14:43]
because there's a need for expertise and
[1:14:46]
Technical way with regard to
[1:14:49]
um as you say solo I'm using new
[1:14:53]
techniques for use of energy creation of
[1:14:56]
energy and use of energy in town all of
[1:14:58]
our buildings are different and so you
[1:15:00]
have a problem if you will or a
[1:15:04]
challenge if you will to try to
[1:15:07]
make um soup out of this one way or
[1:15:10]
another so thank you for your willing to
[1:15:12]
come forward
[1:15:14]
well it's you know interesting best
[1:15:15]
rocks is a kind of an example of a
[1:15:18]
non-private site so we only invest in
[1:15:21]
golf course things but we we've looked
[1:15:25]
at this opportunity and we sold it on uh
[1:15:28]
hey look we can be much greener than we
[1:15:30]
are today but there's a return on
[1:15:32]
investment here I mean we're talking
[1:15:33]
about a 12 percent
[1:15:36]
after tax return on investment uh over
[1:15:39]
15 years it it makes sense economically
[1:15:42]
as well as green so
[1:15:44]
um the club is in support of investing
[1:15:47]
in something that's not a golf buggy or
[1:15:51]
green or sand trap so so you know yeah
[1:15:55]
idea of looking at the economics or
[1:15:57]
something uh I think isn't it can be
[1:15:59]
important not always but can be
[1:16:01]
important
[1:16:03]
Ron quick question the the number of
[1:16:06]
panels that they're going to put on the
[1:16:08]
golf course this is random well they
[1:16:10]
power the whole the whole building no no
[1:16:14]
because we have limits on on what they
[1:16:16]
call uh you know net metering so we can
[1:16:18]
only put in 25 uh kilowatts of panels
[1:16:22]
which is one big Maintenance building
[1:16:24]
and that's unfortunately only 12 percent
[1:16:26]
of our power but it's a step in the
[1:16:27]
right direction
[1:16:28]
a maximum under state law to be exempt
[1:16:32]
from net metering limits yeah got it so
[1:16:35]
okay got it thanks yeah I know it's just
[1:16:37]
interesting um Denise did you have a
[1:16:38]
question yeah my question was whether
[1:16:40]
you were doing networking or um somehow
[1:16:42]
installing a battery system so you
[1:16:44]
answered that
[1:16:45]
um
[1:16:46]
then we're doing net metering yeah
[1:16:48]
because it makes so much sense in
[1:16:49]
Massachusetts in in Texas for the board
[1:16:52]
I do see that Dwight Valentine um
[1:16:55]
chairman of the finance committee is
[1:16:57]
here Dwight did you have anything to add
[1:16:59]
to
[1:17:00]
um well I I'd say that so hold on it's
[1:17:03]
like you're muted
[1:17:04]
okay
[1:17:06]
am I open now
[1:17:08]
I think Sarah's behind the internet
[1:17:10]
hold on it seems like I'm muted I can
[1:17:13]
hear you no you're not you're not muted
[1:17:16]
now you are
[1:17:18]
all right well Well Ron has uh as you've
[1:17:21]
said earlier Sarah Ron has been several
[1:17:23]
of our meetings we've had some uh close
[1:17:26]
discussion about uh about process
[1:17:29]
um about the differences between uh the broadly speaking the corporate
[1:17:35]
environment and uh and local governance
[1:17:38]
uh but uh we're impressed with Ron's
[1:17:41]
ability to uh Focus articulate and be
[1:17:45]
concise and we think his skill set uh is
[1:17:48]
portable uh and uh will be a big
[1:17:51]
contribution in our deliberations
[1:17:57]
also
[1:17:59]
I'm heartened to hear Dwight that you
[1:18:02]
kind of um oriented Ron to the
[1:18:05]
difference between corporate and
[1:18:07]
Municipal finance and
[1:18:10]
um kind of how things work differently
[1:18:12]
in in the municipal world
[1:18:15]
we want him to stick around
[1:18:17]
that's a lot to learn we didn't want to
[1:18:20]
frighten them you know so we figured we
[1:18:22]
might as well put it on the table and I
[1:18:25]
think you know I I think his uh I think
[1:18:27]
he got a good um a good view well I know
[1:18:30]
he's been meeting other meetings before
[1:18:32]
but I know he got a good view of things
[1:18:34]
this evening
[1:18:35]
um and I think the way that uh he
[1:18:37]
addressed the issue of uh of uh transitioning skills from
[1:18:42]
one environment to another
[1:18:45]
um is uh in the way that he explained it
[1:18:47]
is indicative of how he's going to
[1:18:49]
approach the problems that we all face
[1:18:55]
right Rob
[1:18:57]
yes okay
[1:19:00]
yeah it looks like chairman Wilkinson
[1:19:02]
lost connection so if there's any other questions
[1:19:06]
board if not I'll entertain a motion
[1:19:11]
uh hold on
[1:19:19]
um
[1:19:23]
okay
[1:19:24]
um hold on one second
[1:19:27]
I move that we nominate uh Ronald labar
[1:19:31]
to the finance committee for a term to
[1:19:33]
expire on Mitch
[1:19:35]
June 30th 2024. thank you June 30 is
[1:19:39]
2024. and one one edit um uh slogan
[1:19:42]
Donnelly it should be a a point versus
[1:19:45]
nominate uh
[1:19:47]
um
[1:19:48]
I move that we appoint Ronald labar to
[1:19:51]
the finance command ready for a term to
[1:19:53]
expire on June 30th 2024.
[1:19:58]
all right and I see Trayvon Wilkinson is
[1:20:00]
here does she want to do the roll call
[1:20:02]
vote
[1:20:06]
she might still be that she might not be
[1:20:08]
at the computer
[1:20:09]
all right I'll do the roll call vote
[1:20:11]
selectman Murphy I slept in lawyer all
[1:20:16]
right select him and Donnelly
[1:20:18]
aye and select one bracket votes eye
[1:20:20]
motion carries
[1:20:22]
and I'll give travel and Wilkinson a a
[1:20:24]
moment to get back I think she's having
[1:20:27]
trouble with her internet connection
[1:20:28]
yeah she just joined back in though so I
[1:20:31]
wanted to see if she
[1:20:37]
she's unmuted no she's muted
[1:20:40]
all right well I think the next is the
[1:20:42]
uh consent agenda so we can move forward
[1:20:44]
with that it's approval of minutes if
[1:20:46]
any 2023 license and permits approvals
[1:20:49]
year-end transfers if any seasonal
[1:20:51]
position appointment and acceptance of
[1:20:53]
comfort dog program donations and I'll
[1:20:56]
take a motion for that
[1:20:58]
yes I have a motion to make I move that
[1:21:01]
the board approve all non-held items on
[1:21:04]
the consent agenda agenda 30 seconds
[1:21:07]
I'll second that
[1:21:09]
all right roll problems segment Murphy
[1:21:13]
hi is that familiar all right select one
[1:21:16]
Donnelly
[1:21:18]
aye and second bracket books I motion
[1:21:20]
carries
[1:21:21]
next on the agenda I am going to ask the
[1:21:25]
motion reader for the
[1:21:28]
three-year appointments to make them
[1:21:30]
individually please not as one full
[1:21:33]
motion
[1:21:35]
um we have the appointing for a
[1:21:37]
three-year positions on committees um
[1:21:39]
it's the
[1:21:40]
select a person would like to make the
[1:21:42]
motion
[1:21:43]
starting with what is it affordable
[1:21:46]
housing Trust
[1:21:47]
Thor I move that the board make the
[1:21:49]
following reappointments for terms
[1:21:51]
ending June 30 2026 all subject to the
[1:21:55]
boards committees commissions membership
[1:21:57]
policy
[1:21:59]
affordable housing trust Amy Beaton
[1:22:03]
have a second
[1:22:07]
session
[1:22:09]
roll call Vault selectman Murphy all
[1:22:12]
right is that familiar all right second
[1:22:15]
one Donald I and second bracket motion
[1:22:19]
carries
[1:22:21]
next up is for the Border health
[1:22:25]
you want me to read the whole motion
[1:22:27]
every time or just the names
[1:22:30]
um I think you have to do the original
[1:22:32]
motion plus then the committee
[1:22:34]
I move that the board make the following
[1:22:37]
reappointments for terms ending June 30
[1:22:39]
2026 subject to the boards committees
[1:22:42]
commissions membership policy Board of
[1:22:45]
Health Ron Newman Barbara McCarthy
[1:22:48]
wait a second all right any discussion
[1:23:02]
motion carries
[1:23:05]
all right next is the Conservation
[1:23:06]
Commission
[1:23:07]
I move that the board make the following
[1:23:09]
reappointments for terms ending June 30
[1:23:12]
2026 all subject to the boards
[1:23:15]
committees commission's membership
[1:23:17]
policy Conservation Commission Nathaniel
[1:23:20]
milcahy Ashley shed further that both
[1:23:24]
are required to complete their
[1:23:25]
Conservation Commission or certification
[1:23:27]
by January 1st 2024.
[1:23:31]
do I have a second
[1:23:35]
all right any discussion
[1:23:37]
if not I'll start so uh obviously the
[1:23:40]
Conservation Commission has been
[1:23:42]
uh start up and running and they've been
[1:23:43]
up they've been getting I think they're
[1:23:45]
all caught up now but there's just some
[1:23:47]
concerns I've been seeing in the meeting
[1:23:48]
it feels sometimes they do go a little
[1:23:51]
beyond their
[1:23:53]
I can't say but they bring to try to
[1:23:55]
bring in certain things that aren't
[1:23:56]
within the wetlands act but the main
[1:23:57]
thing I want to focus on is the the
[1:24:00]
treatment of the conservation agent I
[1:24:03]
feel that he gets
[1:24:05]
um ridiculed too much in the meetings
[1:24:07]
publicly he also
[1:24:10]
because sometimes the device just goes
[1:24:12]
you know it goes over and no one
[1:24:15]
considers this advice they just
[1:24:16]
disregard it he is the conservation
[1:24:18]
agent and he has
[1:24:20]
a lot of expertise in the area as as
[1:24:23]
many you know he's been working on this
[1:24:24]
for many years
[1:24:26]
um so I just want to point those out as
[1:24:27]
you know why I feel
[1:24:30]
different our discussion on these
[1:24:31]
Concepts on the Conservation Commission
[1:24:33]
I feel that we should be treating the
[1:24:35]
agent with a little more respect and as
[1:24:37]
we move forward that's all I wanted to
[1:24:38]
say
[1:24:41]
um I guess I oh
[1:24:43]
if I may yep slick one down
[1:24:46]
um yeah I've been to every meeting and
[1:24:49]
um I can I can see that members are
[1:24:52]
really
[1:24:54]
um uh concerned and committed and worked
[1:24:58]
very hard it's a lot of work the
[1:24:59]
Conservation Commission it requires a
[1:25:02]
lot of time
[1:25:03]
um and they have to do training and
[1:25:06]
um I think it takes a long time to
[1:25:09]
become
[1:25:10]
adapt at applying the laws and the
[1:25:14]
regulations
[1:25:15]
um in addition to the bylaws and I would
[1:25:19]
just underscore that John Lopez we're
[1:25:23]
very lucky to have John as a
[1:25:25]
conservation agent he has 30 years of
[1:25:28]
experience in doing exactly this and I
[1:25:33]
just would like to see the commission
[1:25:37]
acknowledge his expertise and perhaps
[1:25:41]
seek his expertise and rely upon it
[1:25:44]
um more often than they do he
[1:25:48]
um as I said he's incredibly experienced
[1:25:51]
more than anybody on the commission and
[1:25:54]
this is not to undercut the efforts or
[1:25:57]
the commitment of anyone on the
[1:25:58]
commission just to say that his level of
[1:26:01]
experience is unmatched and he really
[1:26:04]
does know what he's doing
[1:26:06]
um and so I just would like to see the
[1:26:08]
commission rely upon him
[1:26:10]
more than they do now
[1:26:13]
you know the discussion is that familiar
[1:26:17]
yes um I would like to Echo at the
[1:26:20]
slickman Donnelly as just like woman
[1:26:23]
Donnelly has mentioned and that is also
[1:26:26]
been mentioned by uh slugman
[1:26:30]
uh brackets
[1:26:32]
um there is a tendency to defer to the
[1:26:34]
chair of the committee when they should
[1:26:37]
be deferring to the expertise that they
[1:26:39]
have in the form of the agents the agent
[1:26:42]
does have the expertise that in fact the
[1:26:45]
bulk of the expertise
[1:26:47]
um for the decision-making process uh
[1:26:51]
both
[1:26:52]
um Mr mulchesi and
[1:26:55]
[Music]
[1:26:55]
um
[1:26:56]
Ms shed should in fact recognize that
[1:26:59]
fact and defer to the agent and not to
[1:27:03]
the chair so I'm really just emphasizing
[1:27:06]
what others have said already but
[1:27:09]
um
[1:27:10]
as can be seen right here they neither
[1:27:12]
of them are completed in their process
[1:27:14]
of training let alone years have
[1:27:15]
experienced so
[1:27:17]
um enough said I hope they follow these
[1:27:22]
um heartfelt thoughts uh we're now from
[1:27:25]
three of the members of the select board
[1:27:29]
all right
[1:27:30]
and with no more I'll do a roll call
[1:27:32]
vote
[1:27:33]
select member um Murphy bye
[1:27:38]
all right
[1:27:39]
stuck on Donnelly
[1:27:41]
aye and select my bracket votes name
[1:27:44]
motion carries three to one
[1:27:46]
next up is Council on agent
[1:27:51]
I move that the board make the following
[1:27:53]
reappointments for the terms ending June
[1:27:56]
30th 2026 all subject to the board's
[1:27:59]
committees commissions membership policy
[1:28:01]
Council on Aging Shirley Conway Nancy
[1:28:05]
Pitman Jennifer Perry
[1:28:07]
do I have a second
[1:28:10]
all right any discussion here
[1:28:13]
seeing none roll call vote selectman
[1:28:16]
Murphy
[1:28:20]
all right
[1:28:23]
Wilkinson did you hear the motion uh I
[1:28:26]
did I but you finished this round stuff
[1:28:29]
thanks
[1:28:30]
motion carries all right next up is
[1:28:34]
cultural Council
[1:28:36]
I move that the board make the following
[1:28:39]
of reappointments for terms ending June
[1:28:42]
30 2026 all subject to the board's
[1:28:45]
committees commission's membership
[1:28:47]
policy cultural Council Sue Ellen
[1:28:50]
wedmore William Waller
[1:28:54]
all right
[1:28:55]
roll call vote if there's no discussion
[1:28:57]
seeing none selected immersion bye
[1:29:01]
Wilkinson hi select Amelia all right and
[1:29:06]
select woman Donnelly
[1:29:07]
aye respect my bracket belts eye motion
[1:29:09]
carries next up is finance committee I
[1:29:13]
move that the board make the following
[1:29:15]
reappointments for terms ending June 30
[1:29:17]
2026 all subject to the board's
[1:29:20]
committees commission's membership
[1:29:21]
policy finance committee Dwight
[1:29:24]
Valentine Heath Ritchie and do I have a
[1:29:27]
second I'll second up any discussion
[1:29:30]
roll call vote select one Wilkinson
[1:29:33]
aye slackman Murphy
[1:29:35]
aye
[1:29:36]
all right
[1:29:38]
hi and Stefan Brackett votes eye motion
[1:29:42]
carries next step is historical
[1:29:44]
Commission
[1:29:45]
I move that the board make the following
[1:29:47]
reappointments for terms ending June 30
[1:29:50]
2026 all subject to the bores
[1:29:52]
committee's commission's membership
[1:29:54]
policy
[1:29:55]
uh historical commission Ken Kaiser
[1:29:59]
do I have a second second
[1:30:01]
any discussion
[1:30:03]
roll call vote select one of Wilkinson
[1:30:06]
hi selectman Murphy
[1:30:09]
aye second Amelia hi Stephanie
[1:30:12]
mcdonnelly hi I'm stuck on bracket votes
[1:30:15]
eye motion carries
[1:30:17]
next uh is right away committee I move
[1:30:21]
that the board make the following
[1:30:23]
reappointments for terms ending June 30
[1:30:25]
2026 all subject to the awards
[1:30:28]
committees commissions membership policy
[1:30:30]
historical commission Ken Kaiser rights
[1:30:33]
away
[1:30:35]
oh I'm sorry
[1:30:37]
rights of way Monica Lawton Teresa
[1:30:40]
rizzolo do I have a second second second
[1:30:43]
all right any discussion Murphy
[1:30:48]
[Music]
[1:30:59]
and last for this one is Board of
[1:31:02]
registers I move that the board make the
[1:31:05]
following reappointments for terms
[1:31:07]
ending June 30 2026 all subject to the
[1:31:10]
board's committees commission's
[1:31:12]
membership policy Board of registrars
[1:31:14]
Maureen duanel
[1:31:16]
right do I have a second yes second any
[1:31:20]
discussion
[1:31:22]
roll call votes like Lauren Wilkinson hi
[1:31:26]
it's like man Murphy
[1:31:32]
all right select woman Donnelly hi and
[1:31:35]
selectman bracket billzai motion carries
[1:31:37]
and I think you're up I'm sure everyone
[1:31:40]
Will consent for the next part great
[1:31:44]
um I apologize my audio froze so I could
[1:31:47]
see everybody talking but I couldn't so
[1:31:49]
I had to completely restart my computer
[1:31:52]
um okay first we are on the second
[1:31:54]
motion of one year appointments
[1:31:57]
and Lilia has this hand up thanks like
[1:32:01]
melilia
[1:32:02]
yes I'd like to make a recommendation
[1:32:04]
that we reappoint the remaining
[1:32:07]
individuals in Black vote
[1:32:11]
yes that's how it would be if there's no
[1:32:13]
uh objections
[1:32:17]
objection all right that was my plan I
[1:32:19]
just obviously wanted to have a
[1:32:20]
discussion for the three-year
[1:32:22]
appointments so that's why I was a
[1:32:23]
that's why I objected to those ones but
[1:32:25]
seeing there's no objection I'll make a
[1:32:27]
motion if you're ready Mr um
[1:32:29]
yeah go ahead I move that the board make
[1:32:33]
the following reappointments for terms
[1:32:35]
ending June 30th 2024 also Victor boards
[1:32:38]
committees commission membership policy
[1:32:41]
historical commission alternate Paul
[1:32:43]
Woodbury
[1:32:45]
map C representative Tom mikas action
[1:32:48]
representative Roger Lesh Board of fire
[1:32:51]
Engineers Mark Monson Douglas Anderson
[1:32:54]
Nathan Ives DPW facility building
[1:32:56]
committee Monica lime Angel Soul Ruth
[1:32:59]
George Elder Affair coordinator Mary
[1:33:01]
Fallon the Emergency Management director
[1:33:04]
John Harvard
[1:33:06]
forest fire Warden Michael frontero
[1:33:08]
Granite prayer committee John Thompson
[1:33:10]
George katropolis Kathy Carson Michael
[1:33:14]
Tupper Greg morale
[1:33:16]
Memorial Day Parade committee Darlene
[1:33:19]
trumbor Kendra Daigle Gail ziemann
[1:33:22]
elvera fuccini Millbrook medical
[1:33:25]
committee Laura Holloway Hallowell
[1:33:29]
Dara Cole Dwight Valentine Samuel
[1:33:32]
Colborne Richard
[1:33:35]
Ellen Lincolnton open space and
[1:33:39]
Recreation committee
[1:33:41]
Lawrence Neal Stephanie Cunningham
[1:33:43]
Samuel Cunningham Thatcher and
[1:33:45]
straightsmith Island Town committee
[1:33:47]
Sydney webmore Michael crashini Patty
[1:33:51]
wigman Gail ziemann Robert Krause
[1:33:54]
Richard Morris Paul Cena
[1:33:57]
George Langer Lee Mar Peter Haskell Town
[1:34:01]
art committee Dorothy Marshall Rosemary
[1:34:04]
perella Monica Lawton
[1:34:07]
Karen Berger Ryan McMullen
[1:34:11]
traffic and parking committee James
[1:34:12]
igoni Nancy Kearns zoning board of
[1:34:16]
appeals associate Richard York Aaron
[1:34:20]
O'Connell Laura Nielsen and did I miss
[1:34:23]
him
[1:34:24]
nope that's it
[1:34:27]
motion has been made is there a second
[1:34:29]
I'll second okay motion has been made
[1:34:32]
and seconded any further discussion
[1:34:35]
caring none uh selectman bracket
[1:34:38]
aye suckman Lilia hi selectman Murphy
[1:34:42]
hi it's like a woman Donnelly I and
[1:34:46]
select woman Wilkinson aye the motion
[1:34:48]
carries and um if if frost didn't say it
[1:34:51]
at the beginning just an enormous thanks
[1:34:53]
to everyone who steps up and um their
[1:34:56]
time in this town could not run without
[1:34:58]
all of you so thank you so much
[1:35:02]
great um moving on we have consider
[1:35:05]
approval of the Unitarian Universalist
[1:35:07]
Church Thrift Store off-premises sign
[1:35:11]
um someone here oh there you go hi is
[1:35:16]
that Susan Moran I'm gonna put my
[1:35:17]
glasses on
[1:35:19]
great good evening thanks for your
[1:35:21]
patience tonight
[1:35:24]
oh she's muted Monty
[1:35:29]
it says uu Society of Rockport yeah
[1:35:34]
there you go you should be good now hi
[1:35:36]
there thank you thank you so much we we
[1:35:39]
didn't know that we needed a permit so
[1:35:41]
that that's my first apology
[1:35:43]
and um secondly I don't know why someone
[1:35:47]
put it in the crosswalk I promise that
[1:35:49]
won't happen again
[1:35:51]
brief into the point
[1:35:53]
[Laughter]
[1:35:57]
um any comments questions from the board
[1:36:03]
no is there a motion I'm I'm personally
[1:36:06]
fine with the designs it doesn't go in
[1:36:08]
the crosswalk
[1:36:09]
all right or obstruct the road obviously
[1:36:12]
yeah no no we're trying not to break any
[1:36:16]
laws
[1:36:16]
[Laughter]
[1:36:20]
um is there a motion yes uh Madam
[1:36:23]
chairwoman I I moved at the board
[1:36:24]
approved the off-premise sign permit for
[1:36:28]
the universe Unitarian universal Church
[1:36:31]
Thrift uh store as submitted on the
[1:36:34]
permit application with requirements uh
[1:36:38]
that it is not to be placed so as to
[1:36:41]
impede vehicles or pedestrian progestins
[1:36:43]
or associated associated lines of sight
[1:36:47]
great is there a second
[1:36:50]
motion has been made and seconded
[1:36:52]
further discussion from the board
[1:36:54]
so
[1:36:57]
all good okay all righty thank you so
[1:37:01]
much hold on hold on we haven't voted
[1:37:03]
yet
[1:37:05]
this is the fun part
[1:37:08]
this is where yeah this is where you
[1:37:10]
really hold your you know
[1:37:12]
um okay select my bracket all right
[1:37:15]
selectman Murphy
[1:37:17]
hi this is like Memorial hi select
[1:37:21]
moment Donnelly I select woman Wilkinson
[1:37:24]
aye get that thing back out there
[1:37:28]
thank you so much nice to see you
[1:37:32]
uh okay moving on board of segment Town
[1:37:35]
Administrator updates Finance update
[1:37:39]
Mitch
[1:37:41]
thank you madam chair
[1:37:42]
um fiscal year ends this Friday we are
[1:37:45]
diligently plugging away at it
[1:37:47]
um most of the finance staff is still
[1:37:49]
here in the building now uh plugging
[1:37:51]
away trying to make sure that everything
[1:37:52]
is squared away for the end of year
[1:37:55]
we've been heavily focused on that
[1:37:57]
um for the last couple of weeks and
[1:37:59]
we'll continue to be as we wrap up over
[1:38:00]
the next two weeks and uh next week when
[1:38:03]
we start up the new fiscal year so a lot
[1:38:06]
of time and attention focus to that and
[1:38:09]
will continue to do so over the next
[1:38:10]
couple of weeks to ensure that uh
[1:38:12]
everything wraps up smoothly as it has
[1:38:14]
in previous years
[1:38:16]
where we are diligently working on that
[1:38:18]
uh DPW and those who are responsible for
[1:38:21]
capital projects are preparing for their
[1:38:24]
um their kickoffs next week many of them
[1:38:26]
have already lined up contracts
[1:38:27]
agreements documents plans that they
[1:38:30]
need to to get going so we are uh
[1:38:32]
anxiously looking forward to uh to those
[1:38:35]
uh starting off next week as well as uh
[1:38:37]
fresh budget numbers uh for all the
[1:38:39]
Departments
[1:38:41]
um
[1:38:42]
that is pretty much where we are in the
[1:38:44]
finance end right now it's it's all
[1:38:46]
focused on on year-end clothes to make
[1:38:48]
sure that we continue to be in good
[1:38:50]
shape and then next week um uh starting
[1:38:52]
out the new fiscal year making sure
[1:38:54]
everything carries over as it needs to
[1:38:55]
and things of that nature
[1:38:59]
great thanks so much Mitch
[1:39:02]
um any updates from board members
[1:39:04]
I do Madam chair I am as the board is
[1:39:07]
aware I did send a letter to all them
[1:39:09]
for review
[1:39:10]
um if Town Administrator is able to pull
[1:39:13]
that up I would like him to do so
[1:39:15]
um if there's any edits or
[1:39:17]
advisors or if any if anyone supports it
[1:39:20]
but I've already made a couple edits
[1:39:22]
myself when Mitch brings it up all that
[1:39:24]
everyone know yeah
[1:39:26]
so Ross I guess I guess my comment I
[1:39:29]
emailed you but you might not have
[1:39:30]
gotten it I guess my comment is I'm
[1:39:32]
happy for us to discuss I think we need
[1:39:35]
to discuss Town composting I'm
[1:39:38]
comfortable like telling an organization
[1:39:40]
that they have to compost
[1:39:42]
privately
[1:39:43]
well I I'm just well to my point as as
[1:39:47]
I've many of you know we already tell
[1:39:49]
businesses and tell themselves we do
[1:39:51]
have a plastic pile one place they do
[1:39:53]
have a private
[1:39:54]
um trash disposing company so they could
[1:39:57]
as many businesses do have do have a
[1:40:00]
composting company that does lower the
[1:40:01]
price of the overall weight of
[1:40:04]
um of the cost for their monthly bills
[1:40:07]
and I've changed my letter to just say
[1:40:09]
please consider and stuff like that
[1:40:11]
instead of urging them or telling them
[1:40:14]
to do it so it's not really a tell it's
[1:40:15]
more of an Ask um as as I may have
[1:40:18]
mentioned in the email myself and Mr
[1:40:20]
Murphy when we were campaigning these
[1:40:22]
were a big request we got from many of
[1:40:25]
the residents that said they weren't
[1:40:26]
being heard from the company themselves
[1:40:28]
that when they're asking their their
[1:40:31]
property manager at those facilities
[1:40:33]
they weren't really it wasn't getting
[1:40:34]
through to them and they weren't getting
[1:40:36]
the composting they're asking for
[1:40:39]
so that's the only reason I thought so I
[1:40:41]
would step in and request it from yeah
[1:40:44]
I'm just not sure if that's total I'm I
[1:40:47]
totally get it 100 I'm just not sure if
[1:40:51]
it's appropriate if it's like an
[1:40:53]
appropriate place for us to step in like
[1:40:55]
with a I don't know I'm just I just
[1:40:57]
haven't you you just sent it to us right
[1:40:59]
before the meeting so I just haven't
[1:41:00]
like totally thought it through yeah
[1:41:02]
just the best way to like you know would
[1:41:04]
it be better to have Harbor Light into
[1:41:07]
you know to invite Andrew into a meeting
[1:41:09]
and talk to him about it I mean that
[1:41:11]
would be great too but that would
[1:41:12]
require us to do a lot more research on
[1:41:15]
the matter opposed to him being able to
[1:41:18]
We Can't recommend companies obviously
[1:41:19]
there's very well-known companies around
[1:41:21]
here that he could easily contact
[1:41:23]
um I I'm just looking forward I I here I
[1:41:27]
just want the board support to sign it
[1:41:28]
either way I will be reaching out to ask
[1:41:30]
him to do it as a residence did request
[1:41:32]
that from me so I was just hoping to get
[1:41:34]
the board support on the matter as well
[1:41:37]
yeah
[1:41:38]
um well go ahead Denise yeah I mean I
[1:41:42]
obviously support composting I've been
[1:41:44]
using Black Earth for years
[1:41:47]
um but I would rather have us have a
[1:41:51]
broader discussion with the DPW
[1:41:53]
Commissioners about offering town wide
[1:41:56]
composting
[1:41:59]
um and then I think we'd be in a better
[1:42:01]
position to
[1:42:03]
request an organization like Harbor life
[1:42:06]
to do the same
[1:42:08]
that just
[1:42:10]
yes
[1:42:12]
again on the matter it's just now they
[1:42:14]
have a third property coming up that
[1:42:16]
they're going to be managing so we're
[1:42:18]
able to start the process now and as I
[1:42:20]
mentioned they don't use the towns
[1:42:23]
transfer station they do have I believe
[1:42:25]
it's Health set pickup there that fast
[1:42:27]
if you have they do have their own
[1:42:29]
garbage so they're not going to be using
[1:42:30]
the town's composting regardless and the
[1:42:33]
process for us will be a lot longer to
[1:42:35]
get town-wide composting as you know we
[1:42:38]
did pass at the recent town meeting to
[1:42:40]
have the transfer station reevaluated
[1:42:42]
for safety measures and other measures
[1:42:45]
but composting wasn't even mentioned in
[1:42:47]
that obviously that's something I want
[1:42:48]
to mention to the DPW when the time
[1:42:49]
comes but this is a
[1:42:52]
relatively to me it's a small uh ask for
[1:42:55]
a company to go to composting as I do
[1:42:59]
know it does lower costs overall as you
[1:43:01]
food waste is a
[1:43:03]
big weight component to trash pickup
[1:43:06]
when it comes time
[1:43:07]
so yeah so I guess my I guess what I'm
[1:43:11]
thinking is I'm just not sure it's like
[1:43:13]
appropriate or legal for us to
[1:43:17]
tell them to do that I'm honestly we're
[1:43:19]
just asking that's all I'm not telling
[1:43:21]
them they have to I'm not you know this
[1:43:23]
is coming from this is coming from our
[1:43:25]
residents that aren't getting heard from
[1:43:27]
the property managements and I mean if
[1:43:29]
you want to call on Andrew for that I
[1:43:31]
would you know those are the points I'd
[1:43:32]
bring up to him that
[1:43:33]
his employee isn't getting the message
[1:43:35]
across to him or I mean you know frankly
[1:43:39]
I may be more comfortable doing that or
[1:43:41]
one of us reaching out to him just so it
[1:43:44]
doesn't look like it's a you know
[1:43:47]
I feel like we I don't know I'm just not
[1:43:50]
totally come I feel like I'd be better
[1:43:52]
off with that and saying listen you know
[1:43:54]
we have residents in one property you're
[1:43:57]
you know you're you're opening up a
[1:44:00]
third property like like
[1:44:03]
as a pre as a business owner as many
[1:44:05]
people know I'll explain on the matter a
[1:44:07]
few years ago you asked all Town
[1:44:10]
businesses that had take out to you
[1:44:12]
record you required us you didn't even
[1:44:13]
ask us you would quiet us to have a
[1:44:15]
trash barrel outside of our businesses
[1:44:17]
so that's you know that's that's more
[1:44:19]
strict than just requesting that they
[1:44:21]
have composting in their facility it may
[1:44:23]
not have came from the Board of Health
[1:44:24]
but it did come from I mean the Border
[1:44:26]
selecting but it did come from the Board
[1:44:27]
of Health yeah you guys didn't have to
[1:44:29]
pay for the trash to be removed from the
[1:44:31]
well it was our Barrel I had I paid 300
[1:44:34]
for a barrel then I got turned around
[1:44:36]
until the town said you already have a
[1:44:38]
barrel roll up front from the town you
[1:44:39]
don't have to worry about it
[1:44:41]
so I mean I'm just saying it was a
[1:44:43]
requirement to businesses and at the
[1:44:45]
time I got many complaints from the
[1:44:46]
business right but it was for all but it
[1:44:48]
was for all doubt like I guess what I'm
[1:44:50]
feeling uncomfortable about is like
[1:44:53]
singling out Harbor Light I feel like
[1:44:55]
it's I would rather find ways to
[1:44:57]
encourage to encourage composting and
[1:45:00]
like how you know hey Andrew like what
[1:45:03]
would you know
[1:45:04]
I'm just feeling I don't know it looks
[1:45:07]
like it's coming at it at a negative way
[1:45:08]
I'd rather look at it as a way to like
[1:45:10]
encourage really good behavior which is
[1:45:13]
I want to look at the Town composting
[1:45:15]
again and then I would also that if you look at it that way I would
[1:45:18]
request that the town goes ahead and the
[1:45:20]
town property that we do own for for
[1:45:22]
multi-family business buildings that we
[1:45:25]
do rental we offer composting at those
[1:45:27]
facilities then you know but as I stated
[1:45:30]
yeah so I mean that's what I mean we I
[1:45:32]
think it's a little bigger discussion
[1:45:33]
that's what I I think this like is owed
[1:45:36]
like an agenda item where we can discuss
[1:45:38]
like hey if we're gonna ask harborlight
[1:45:41]
like who else should we be asking how
[1:45:43]
can we be encouraging
[1:45:45]
um and I know at the our meeting on the
[1:45:48]
11th we're going to talk to the Board of
[1:45:50]
Health and we're going to talk about the
[1:45:51]
Plastics bylaw and I know this is part
[1:45:53]
of it
[1:45:55]
um I don't know maybe it makes sense for
[1:45:57]
you to send us the new your new draft
[1:46:00]
separately us to look at it and then to
[1:46:02]
discuss it at that next meeting just
[1:46:04]
because I want to feel like we're like
[1:46:05]
looking taking a holistic view of it
[1:46:08]
yeah and the goal I would assume is it
[1:46:11]
is to to twofold to hear residents who
[1:46:14]
don't feel like they're to help
[1:46:15]
residents who don't feel like they're
[1:46:16]
heard but also to increase composting
[1:46:19]
so I think we can probably
[1:46:21]
you know get both of those I just want
[1:46:24]
to think of it a little bit broader I
[1:46:26]
mean my again like I said my biggest
[1:46:28]
point is for the time to do composting
[1:46:30]
it's going to be a lot a lot larger
[1:46:32]
Endeavor than them based on the size
[1:46:34]
probably getting one or two barrels from
[1:46:37]
a composting company that will go sit
[1:46:39]
next to there
[1:46:40]
um already hilts uh containers yeah what
[1:46:44]
if we put it on the next meeting agenda
[1:46:47]
you send us your new draft and one of us
[1:46:49]
can reach out to Andrew in the meantime
[1:46:51]
yeah um before we do that could is if
[1:46:54]
there's any requester at
[1:46:57]
any um anything that anyone wanted to
[1:46:59]
add I'll take that now so we can do it
[1:47:01]
in a public form if not I will get my
[1:47:05]
edits and send it back out
[1:47:08]
foreign
[1:47:12]
send it to us with your edits obviously
[1:47:15]
not for discussion but we can then we
[1:47:17]
can discuss it and screen share it at
[1:47:19]
the next meeting alrighty perfect that
[1:47:22]
sounds great it's cool it's really cool
[1:47:24]
that the residents brought it up to you
[1:47:26]
guys at a campaign event yep like that's
[1:47:28]
a neat yeah that's cool that like they
[1:47:31]
thought to do that
[1:47:33]
yeah Rockport um apartments that was
[1:47:36]
there's a big discussion there yeah
[1:47:37]
that's really cool that they thought of
[1:47:39]
it so
[1:47:41]
um happy to help cool many many campaign
[1:47:44]
events for us right
[1:47:48]
um Ross did you have any other updates
[1:47:51]
um I think that should do it for now
[1:47:53]
uh anyone else
[1:47:56]
Paul
[1:47:57]
yes uh Madam chair thank you I just want
[1:48:00]
to remind folks uh that the Fourth of
[1:48:02]
July is coming up on Tuesday and
[1:48:04]
Rockport will be packed as it usually is
[1:48:06]
I'd like to encourage uh one of my
[1:48:09]
favorite events is uh the reading of the
[1:48:12]
Declaration of Independence at 10
[1:48:14]
o'clock down in um uh doc Square by uh
[1:48:17]
Matt Whitman the Reverend Mac uh so uh I
[1:48:21]
hope people will join
[1:48:23]
um I hope the town is packed I think uh
[1:48:25]
last last time I talked with the
[1:48:27]
association the fire Association they
[1:48:30]
had like four or five bands lots of
[1:48:32]
floats when I was a kid uh there used to
[1:48:36]
be neighborhood floats and so forth and
[1:48:37]
as times have changed they've dwindled
[1:48:40]
away but I understand is going to be a
[1:48:43]
number of floats that will make uh make
[1:48:45]
the um the parade even better so
[1:48:48]
again I hope everyone has a safe uh
[1:48:51]
Fourth of July I know the the tpw would
[1:48:54]
be out the police will be out in force
[1:48:56]
and I'm sure it's going to be a
[1:48:58]
wonderful time
[1:49:00]
great thanks Paul just to add on to that
[1:49:02]
um I know Toby had requested a last
[1:49:05]
meeting uh fundraising information for
[1:49:07]
the Rockport firefighters Association
[1:49:09]
and I believe it is P.O box 2 Rockport
[1:49:12]
Mass if people want to send donations
[1:49:14]
and I followed with the fireworks
[1:49:18]
um donations for the fireworks in August
[1:49:20]
can be sent to a Rockport illumination
[1:49:24]
fund Incorporated and it's 16-b South
[1:49:28]
Street if people are interested in
[1:49:30]
sending donations to those I think it's
[1:49:31]
a good time of year that both
[1:49:33]
organizations are looking for donations
[1:49:36]
looking forward to both of those events
[1:49:40]
obviously just next week I can't believe
[1:49:42]
it's the fourth of July it's so cold out
[1:49:46]
um and Denise did you have any we're not
[1:49:49]
marching in the parade correct
[1:49:51]
nope no but to watch this one you could
[1:49:53]
have your own float Paul
[1:49:56]
I got enough Tomatoes I don't know how
[1:49:58]
well that would go over
[1:50:01]
no it would be good I always did it when
[1:50:03]
I was a kid
[1:50:05]
um I just wanted to
[1:50:09]
um I had one other update
[1:50:13]
um
[1:50:14]
I think that's it for right now I think
[1:50:16]
that's it next we'll go to public
[1:50:17]
comment if I remember my comment I'll
[1:50:19]
make it after but um moving on to public
[1:50:23]
comment does anyone I see a few hands up
[1:50:28]
thank you
[1:50:29]
Laura you've been unmuted thank you
[1:50:32]
Laura Evans at 77 High Street I wanted
[1:50:35]
to thank you folks for reappointing uh
[1:50:37]
Nathaniel Mulcahy and Ashley shed to the
[1:50:39]
concom they're um very very good
[1:50:42]
commission members and I've learned a
[1:50:44]
lot from them and I think they add a lot
[1:50:47]
to the town
[1:50:49]
um I feel like I'm kind of in an
[1:50:51]
alternate universe though about
[1:50:53]
um the uh the agent because I I've been
[1:50:56]
to all the concom meetings and they seem
[1:50:59]
quite most mostly quite civil and we
[1:51:02]
rely on John a lot I mean his expertise
[1:51:05]
is is very valuable and he you know we I
[1:51:10]
wish he was available for more concom
[1:51:12]
work you know that he could come on more
[1:51:15]
site visits with us and and I think he's
[1:51:17]
a great agent and I I think everybody
[1:51:19]
that the chair regularly defers to him
[1:51:22]
during meetings so
[1:51:25]
um I want everyone to know that you know he
[1:51:28]
is he is very very much appreciated and
[1:51:31]
I'll I'll sing the admin assistant song
[1:51:33]
again I think he really needs a
[1:51:35]
part-time paid admin assistant I mean
[1:51:38]
for the last meeting I spent some hours
[1:51:41]
um typing up an order of conditions and
[1:51:44]
amending and I'm a volunteer and that's
[1:51:46]
a legal document I mean we really should
[1:51:48]
have as a town a a paid assistant to for our agent and I know that he this is
[1:51:55]
somehow coupled with the Board of Health
[1:51:57]
person but you know the job's not posted
[1:52:00]
and I think we really need to to support
[1:52:02]
him because I do find that he's very
[1:52:04]
valuable
[1:52:06]
um and secondly on the back back on the
[1:52:09]
affordable housing front
[1:52:11]
um I'm really hoping that uh chairman
[1:52:13]
Lilia chairman of the affordable housing
[1:52:16]
trust will look at the you know get some
[1:52:19]
of those arpa funds for the trust to
[1:52:21]
fund the trust um there's two 2.1
[1:52:24]
million dollars there and while waiting
[1:52:26]
for next year's CPC application deadline
[1:52:29]
you know there's there's money there for
[1:52:31]
affordable housing so I want to thank uh
[1:52:34]
selectman Lilia for leading the charge
[1:52:37]
on that and hopefully securing some of
[1:52:39]
the arpa funds for affordable housing
[1:52:40]
thank you very much
[1:52:44]
yeah I just wanted to clarify a few
[1:52:47]
things first of all I've spoken to John
[1:52:49]
Lopez our conservation agent as recently
[1:52:52]
as last week he is doing just fine with
[1:52:56]
respect to support he gets plenty of
[1:52:58]
support from Nancy Pitman
[1:53:00]
um in the building inspector's office
[1:53:02]
and as Laura knows the reason we had not
[1:53:05]
yet hired the part-time assistant is
[1:53:08]
because he will share that assistant
[1:53:10]
with the health director and the Board
[1:53:13]
of Health and we have not yet hired a
[1:53:16]
health director we want to give the
[1:53:18]
health director the opportunity to
[1:53:21]
participate in the hiring decision
[1:53:23]
so I check in with John regularly as the
[1:53:26]
liaison and he reassures me that he's
[1:53:29]
fine with respect to support I do
[1:53:32]
appreciate Laura's concern but he's
[1:53:35]
doing just fine
[1:53:37]
uh Denise just one correction it's Nancy
[1:53:39]
Kearns I mean yeah
[1:53:42]
you know who I meant I know what you
[1:53:45]
meant sorry
[1:53:48]
great
[1:53:50]
um Monty next
[1:53:56]
Toby Thank You Toby arsenia 95 Grant
[1:54:00]
Street I was distressed and offended by
[1:54:04]
the discussion about uh reappointments
[1:54:07]
to the Conservation Commission
[1:54:10]
uh the Conservation Commission may have
[1:54:13]
30 years of experience but uh he's
[1:54:16]
relatively new on the ground here and uh
[1:54:19]
his experience and uh knowledge are
[1:54:22]
certainly a fine asset for the
[1:54:24]
commission and we have uh the Assurance
[1:54:27]
of Laura Evans that the commission
[1:54:29]
avails themselves of his experience it's
[1:54:33]
not up to him to make the decisions or
[1:54:35]
dictate them uh your board employs a
[1:54:39]
Town Administrator who has a degree in
[1:54:41]
government but it's up to the five of
[1:54:43]
you and no one else to make the
[1:54:45]
decisions you were elected you appointed
[1:54:49]
the members of the Conservation
[1:54:51]
Commission and it's up to them uh to
[1:54:54]
make the decisions it's properly up to
[1:54:56]
the agent to let them know about all of
[1:55:00]
the intricacies and of obscurities of
[1:55:03]
state law which are indeed endless and
[1:55:06]
deathless also the local bylaw but
[1:55:10]
they're the ones who have to go out and
[1:55:12]
see on the ground and make the decisions
[1:55:14]
on the basis of what they see with his
[1:55:17]
good advice
[1:55:19]
um you need both uh and he has only been
[1:55:22]
here recently and some of them have been
[1:55:25]
here for many years and consequently
[1:55:27]
know things uh of a different sort that
[1:55:30]
would also be essential
[1:55:32]
uh so I you know feel that uh
[1:55:36]
criticizing the commission for thinking
[1:55:38]
for themselves uh is heading in the
[1:55:41]
wrong direction uh you need the
[1:55:43]
expertise of the agent and you also need
[1:55:46]
the independent minds of the
[1:55:48]
Commissioners thank you
[1:55:56]
Nathaniel you've been unmuted
[1:55:58]
thank you very much
[1:56:00]
um
[1:56:01]
I first off I I'd like to thank the
[1:56:04]
committee
[1:56:06]
um the select word for reappointing me
[1:56:07]
it has been an honor to serve for eight
[1:56:10]
months on on this commission
[1:56:13]
um it has been
[1:56:15]
uh invigorating and it's been helpful
[1:56:18]
for me to feel that I can provide my
[1:56:21]
Decades of environmental policy and
[1:56:24]
science to this community that has
[1:56:26]
become my home
[1:56:28]
um
[1:56:29]
I'd like to just clarify a couple points
[1:56:32]
that I think were misrepresenting the
[1:56:34]
actuality of things if you go back and
[1:56:37]
look at the old meetings
[1:56:41]
and compare those recordings to the
[1:56:42]
current meetings
[1:56:44]
it is a stark contrast between how
[1:56:47]
confrontational the earlier meetings
[1:56:49]
were and how this year
[1:56:51]
they have been completely
[1:56:54]
um civil and the discussion levels have
[1:56:57]
become more in-depth and involved the
[1:57:00]
community feels that they are being
[1:57:01]
listened to
[1:57:03]
um in terms of uh agent Lopez we have
[1:57:06]
all deferred to him uh Mr Brackett I've
[1:57:08]
seen your name on multiple meetings so
[1:57:12]
you know that our chairperson has
[1:57:15]
deferred to him every single meeting
[1:57:17]
when there was an issue that needed
[1:57:19]
clarification we have relied on him
[1:57:21]
heavily we appreciate his expertise and
[1:57:24]
we rely on him and what he knows
[1:57:27]
we are going through the training
[1:57:30]
um in contrast to the comments made by
[1:57:32]
Mr Leah
[1:57:35]
I've got only one two-hour session left
[1:57:39]
of the thing and I had 12 months to do
[1:57:41]
that and I've only been in for eight
[1:57:42]
months so I think I'm doing pretty well
[1:57:45]
considering the timeline and there were
[1:57:47]
it was not possible to do all of it
[1:57:49]
because the courses were not available
[1:57:51]
uh within the eight months of my
[1:57:53]
appointment
[1:57:54]
so given that I have 12 months to do
[1:57:57]
that from the letter that I signed with
[1:57:59]
my original appointment I am well on way
[1:58:01]
to meeting that requirement which is a
[1:58:03]
requirement that I know no other
[1:58:05]
Committee in town has to do any formal
[1:58:07]
training and this is a new thing that
[1:58:09]
our committee does and we do it
[1:58:10]
willingly and happily
[1:58:12]
um we are the only committee that seems
[1:58:14]
to be getting criticized in this
[1:58:16]
evening's uh reappointment thing and
[1:58:18]
then in terms of deferring to the final
[1:58:20]
decisions
[1:58:21]
um as Mr Brackett seemed to imply we had
[1:58:26]
questions about this and we did contact
[1:58:28]
the State and they did say specifically
[1:58:31]
citing the wetlands act that the final
[1:58:33]
legal decision is of the committee and
[1:58:36]
we can rely on the agent for advice and
[1:58:39]
for guidance but the final
[1:58:41]
determinations and the decisions that
[1:58:44]
must be made and our legally binding are
[1:58:46]
done by the committee and that is
[1:58:48]
Massachusetts state law so we do rely
[1:58:53]
heavily on John he's a great asset and I'm happy to pop in and visit him
[1:58:57]
frequently in his office
[1:59:00]
um
[1:59:01]
but we are following the rules that our
[1:59:04]
training has told us we must follow
[1:59:06]
so thank you for their appointment
[1:59:09]
um thank you to everybody else who's
[1:59:11]
serving with me and finally I would like
[1:59:14]
to encourage the select board to
[1:59:17]
remember that we still have two
[1:59:18]
vacancies there have been times when
[1:59:21]
I've had to I've never missed a meeting
[1:59:23]
and I've attended meetings even when I
[1:59:25]
was sick or when my children were sick
[1:59:26]
for fear that there wouldn't be a quorum
[1:59:29]
and it would be really helpful if those
[1:59:32]
two vacancies were actively recruited
[1:59:34]
and appointed so that we would have our
[1:59:36]
full committee finally and people
[1:59:37]
wouldn't have to attend when they are
[1:59:39]
sick or when their children are sick
[1:59:40]
thank you very much
[1:59:42]
Madam chair if I may sure just for the
[1:59:45]
public for the record I never stated
[1:59:47]
that the agent should be making the
[1:59:50]
decisions I never stated that the
[1:59:53]
commission never listens to him or
[1:59:55]
anything that I said sometimes his
[1:59:57]
advice and everything gets completely
[2:00:00]
disregarded that was my only well not my
[2:00:02]
only comment but that was the comment
[2:00:03]
that focused on the agent as well as
[2:00:05]
sometimes it gets ridiculed in the
[2:00:09]
meetings that is all
[2:00:11]
Denise yeah I I just wanted to mention
[2:00:14]
that um
[2:00:16]
Daniel you the Conservation Commission
[2:00:19]
unlike other boards and commissions is a
[2:00:22]
regulatory body and that's why the
[2:00:25]
training is required and that's why I
[2:00:27]
said it takes many many years of
[2:00:30]
experience for people really to be able
[2:00:33]
to exercise
[2:00:36]
um appropriately within a commission and
[2:00:40]
it's not to say that you guys aren't
[2:00:41]
doing that what I was saying was that
[2:00:44]
because it is a regulatory body
[2:00:47]
um John is the person who has the most
[2:00:49]
experience in applying Wetlands
[2:00:52]
protection act in Massachusetts and so
[2:00:57]
your engineering experience and your
[2:01:00]
other experience is all relevant but you
[2:01:03]
are not as a member of the Conservation
[2:01:06]
Commission allowed to use that
[2:01:08]
experience in making your decisions
[2:01:10]
so it's the other thing I will say is
[2:01:13]
the the mass
[2:01:16]
Association of conservation commissions
[2:01:19]
is an uh
[2:01:21]
advocacy group they are not the state
[2:01:25]
the Department of Environmental
[2:01:27]
Protection is the state not the advocacy
[2:01:30]
group so there are some distinctions I
[2:01:33]
just wanted to make I think I know
[2:01:35]
you're all working very hard and I
[2:01:37]
certainly appreciate that I see it every
[2:01:39]
meeting they tend to go quite long
[2:01:43]
um and they're getting a little bit
[2:01:44]
better but still going quite long and I
[2:01:47]
just think there's there's a lot to be
[2:01:49]
learned from John and I I hope to
[2:01:51]
continue to see that happen great
[2:01:54]
okay uh it looks like Ashley has her
[2:01:57]
hand up auntie
[2:01:59]
yeah hi this is Ashley
[2:02:02]
um thank you for reappointing me to the
[2:02:04]
commission
[2:02:05]
um you know I I do have uh a little bit
[2:02:09]
of an issue with feeling like you know
[2:02:11]
people are being called out
[2:02:14]
um publicly or like almost humiliated in
[2:02:16]
a in a way to bring up and address
[2:02:18]
issues that are completely unrelated to
[2:02:21]
an appointment or a reappointment to a
[2:02:23]
commission
[2:02:25]
um it seems that there's uh a lot of
[2:02:28]
things that come up in meetings across
[2:02:30]
the town
[2:02:31]
um this one included that are kind of
[2:02:33]
nuanced and um not relevant to what is
[2:02:37]
actually being discussed
[2:02:39]
um you know and I just think that if
[2:02:42]
anything everyone needs to be
[2:02:43]
appreciated for the amount of time and
[2:02:45]
effort that they are putting into all of
[2:02:47]
the meetings that they volunteer with
[2:02:50]
um and you know uh chairman selectman
[2:02:53]
Lilia you know commenting on the fact
[2:02:56]
that Nathaniel and I haven't you know
[2:02:58]
completed our MACC training and we were
[2:03:01]
given a deadline of next year to do so
[2:03:05]
um you know it seems just
[2:03:08]
kind of
[2:03:10]
immature and childish
[2:03:12]
um and if we want the tone towards John
[2:03:16]
Lopez the the commission the
[2:03:19]
Conservation Commission agent to chain I
[2:03:21]
think change I think maybe it needs to
[2:03:23]
start here you are representing the town
[2:03:25]
as well and uh I just I I feel
[2:03:30]
um
[2:03:31]
slated
[2:03:32]
thank you
[2:03:35]
but if I may Madam chair and then her
[2:03:37]
yeah Denise Gill and then her yeah I
[2:03:40]
just I just wanted to say I'm sorry that
[2:03:42]
you felt that way Ashley that was
[2:03:43]
certainly not my intent
[2:03:46]
um and I have said multiple times as
[2:03:48]
I've spoken that I appreciate how hard
[2:03:50]
everybody works I know it's a lot of
[2:03:52]
work and it's a it's a work in progress
[2:03:55]
It's an ongoing process so I hope that
[2:03:58]
you and Nathaniel and others are able to
[2:04:01]
take these comments to heart we are by
[2:04:04]
law required to conduct
[2:04:07]
um these conversations in public and so
[2:04:11]
sometimes it gets maybe a little bit
[2:04:12]
awkward but we're doing what we're
[2:04:14]
required to do by the open meeting law
[2:04:17]
so nothing was intended to humiliate or
[2:04:21]
um belittle anyone so just wanted to say
[2:04:24]
that
[2:04:25]
her
[2:04:27]
my point was um
[2:04:30]
not that
[2:04:32]
um well my point was that you had not
[2:04:34]
completed your training and therefore
[2:04:36]
you were not fully equipped to handle
[2:04:40]
the entire decision-making process
[2:04:43]
um I think that the comments uh for us
[2:04:46]
like woman don't only have slickman
[2:04:48]
Donnelly were right to the point and we
[2:04:51]
are concerned about the composition of
[2:04:53]
the community and maintaining the
[2:04:55]
composition on maintaining the
[2:04:58]
um strength of the committee
[2:05:00]
um yes we need uh additional people to
[2:05:03]
join we need a committee that people are
[2:05:06]
willing to join there are some people
[2:05:08]
who are not willing to join because of
[2:05:10]
some past situations
[2:05:13]
um it is up to the committee as it is
[2:05:15]
currently composed
[2:05:17]
um to uh that environment should be
[2:05:21]
welcoming to new individuals
[2:05:24]
um I think that's the point and again
[2:05:27]
the application of previous engineering
[2:05:29]
experience to a situation in town with
[2:05:32]
regard to an Conservation Commission I
[2:05:35]
think is a misplaced but anyway be that
[2:05:38]
as it may or may we go on and that our
[2:05:41]
new um agents will in fact stay with us
[2:05:44]
for a long period of time we certainly
[2:05:46]
don't want to see him leave despite what
[2:05:49]
people have said about the fact that he
[2:05:50]
is comfortable
[2:05:52]
um as has been said already so anyway
[2:05:54]
I'm just listen to the words they're not
[2:05:57]
intended to
[2:05:59]
um to um you mean anyone in particular
[2:06:01]
there's simply reminders of the overall
[2:06:05]
responsibility that you have to the town
[2:06:07]
not just to your personal points of view
[2:06:15]
yeah I I was just gonna say with respect
[2:06:18]
to
[2:06:19]
um new members
[2:06:21]
um I know that for example the finance
[2:06:23]
committee the historical commission they
[2:06:25]
do a good job of recruiting people to
[2:06:27]
their ranks if you um Can perhaps try to
[2:06:31]
do the same the members of the
[2:06:33]
commission who are
[2:06:34]
um on the meeting tonight
[2:06:36]
um you know I'm constantly looking for
[2:06:38]
people and inviting people to join the
[2:06:41]
Conservation Commission
[2:06:43]
um so I'd appreciate any help that that
[2:06:45]
you can offer but I know that other
[2:06:48]
committees do uh um do a lot of work
[2:06:50]
trying to recruit people so need your
[2:06:53]
help with that
[2:06:56]
yeah so I just want to say you know as childless and immature some
[2:07:00]
conversations may be they do have to
[2:07:02]
happen and for us they do have to happen
[2:07:04]
in public so I apologize if they offends
[2:07:07]
anyone but I do have to inform my
[2:07:09]
colleagues of my thoughts and processes
[2:07:12]
in public I can't do that in a meeting
[2:07:13]
to have an open discussion with them
[2:07:16]
um you know as as was pointed out I do
[2:07:18]
attend many of the meetings and I do
[2:07:20]
talk to the agent on a regular basis and
[2:07:23]
tonight I didn't name any names so I
[2:07:24]
wasn't targeting anyone so thank you
[2:07:28]
okay
[2:07:30]
um any
[2:07:31]
other public comments this evening
[2:07:36]
okay hearing none our next meeting is
[2:07:39]
the 11th so sorry that's correct and on
[2:07:42]
the 11th we will do
[2:07:44]
um our we'll do the selectman's business
[2:07:46]
in the first half of the meeting second
[2:07:48]
half will be a joint meeting with the
[2:07:50]
Board of Health and I believe we have
[2:07:52]
three kind of topics to discuss with
[2:07:54]
them we'll send out obviously we'll be
[2:07:56]
on the posted agenda before then but um
[2:07:59]
besides that have a wonderful and safe
[2:08:02]
Fourth of July and we will see everyone
[2:08:05]
soon
[2:08:06]
all right thank you everyone
[2:08:09]
thank you are we gonna move to adjourn
[2:08:12]
oh I'm sorry we need a motion to adjourn
[2:08:15]
so moved is there a second second
[2:08:19]
emotion has been made and seconded uh
[2:08:22]
any further discussion selectman bracket
[2:08:25]
all right quick middle yeah all right
[2:08:27]
flickman Murphy
[2:08:29]
all right select Roman Donnelly hi
[2:08:32]
select woman Wilkinson uh the motion
[2:08:35]
carries uh see everybody soon
[2:08:37]
okay good night everyone
[2:08:40]
[Music]
[2:08:43]
foreign