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Yeah, every time I buy them, I think I'm going to like them.

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Oh.

3
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But I just

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can't like them.

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You're smart.

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It is.

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It is.

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Take your sweater off. There you go.

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No.

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Barbara's

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like, "This is not what I perceived."

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Gross.

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"I will be doing

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that from

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home."

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In

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January.

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Oh, that's right. He was going to come, but he found out-

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That was what? Psychological?

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Oh, John.

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Council on the

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region.

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That's great. Six. All right.

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Today is Wednesday, August 26th, 2026, 6:00 PM.

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We're going to call the meeting to order.

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Announcement, any audience member recording or videotaping must notify

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the chair.

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So hearing, meeting, licenses, appointment, vote may follow.

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Item A, vote to amend cemetery rules and regulations

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prohibiting solar light.

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So we're going to

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call

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the committee to come in overall to

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start.

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I will call to come up to order.

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Okay. That's it.

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That's six oh one.

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Yeah. They can either stay where they are or come to the front row, whatever they

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prefer.

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Would you like us to come to the front row?

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If you want to be seen.

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Okay.

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Where are you... I'm probably going to speak first. Where do you want me to stand?

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You can sit.

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I'll move a chair over there.

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Hey, Gordon.

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Yeah.

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Do you want

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this chair over here?

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Thank you.

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No problem.

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So I will just sit there. Okay.

53
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Would've brought my tap dancing shoes.

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So I'm Gordon Chase. I'm a member of the cemetery committee.

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Our small group of

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loyal citizens, I think has

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labored in a number of capacities to sort of

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make the records of our cemeteries.

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And we're speaking of the two cemeteries, one of which is in the center,

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and one of which is,

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what's the official name?

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Village Cemetery.

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The Village Cemetery.

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Have labored to keep the records straight and bring things up to date.

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And so the matter, as we brought to you once before, has to do

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with whether we can and might make some adjustment to

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the rules and regulations for what people can and can't do when it comes

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to

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commemorating their loved ones, for decorating, for

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kind of visiting, for

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acting in ways that sort of

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make it clear that our cemeteries are shared spaces and kind

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of offer a kind of shared experience.

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A much more passive one than some music festival or voting in the

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town or something. But nonetheless, these pieces of land stand.

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In our case, these particular cemeteries are

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historic cemeteries. So, part of, of course, the challenge of

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any administration like our select board is to

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obviously balance the needs of the town.

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And clearly, one of the perennial themes is old versus

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new and what do we keep, what do we change, what's necessary,

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and what are we trying to preserve, as well as what do we need to do.

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If a new bridge needs to be built, it needs to be built.

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And so I don't think this is quite as simple as old Shirley versus new

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Shirley, but I think what's at issue is that,

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I think most of us, particularly who have lived in this town for most of their

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life, think of this town as having a kind of traditional character.

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We're a rural town. We're still small enough to think of

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ourselves as a small town, even though there are contemporary businesses

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and concerns that obviously make up the

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lifeblood of this

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village. So in regards to the cemetery, our

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proposal was to make

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and propose

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a change to what we do and don't allow people to do.

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We brought this matter to your attention once before, and the

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specific issue has to do with the sort of growing practice of

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people installing solar-powered lights

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on grave sites. It's a more recent practice because these

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things didn't exist until like 5 or 10 years ago, but they're

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clearly proliferating, and different towns

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have taken different approaches to what they do and don't allow.

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Am I right, Barbara, that

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our board members received a copy of

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what I wrote?

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Yes.

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All three attachments are in there, Barbara.

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Right.

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So-

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We got the

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support of the Historical Society,

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the Historical Commission,

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and Gordon has done research in

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adjacent towns, and will report on that to you, what the

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adjacent towns are doing with this issue.

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And I just received, before I left here,

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a letter from Robert Adams, a letter of support that

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Gordon can read into the record, or I can read it to you.

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Well, I can, but let me just sort of make our main point here and not take forever

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to do so.

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We would like to,

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as a committee and as the town's historic commission has supported,

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would like to sort of maintain what we think is the kind of historic

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character of the two cemeteries at issue.

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We completely understand how people have deep needs, spiritual

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needs, and to observe the passing of their

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family members,

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whatever the circumstances are. And that's a

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basic human need and longing and desire, and an important

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one, and that's why these cemeteries exist, and that's why stones are put up, and

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people have funerals and come to visit their loved ones and bring

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flowers and so forth. With that said, it's kind of surprising

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what the range of practices are for many of the

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towns in this part of the state.

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Not surprisingly, towns that are even older, perhaps, or maybe

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more

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established in some ways, like Concord or Cambridge, for

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example. The Town of Concord

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routinely confiscates any and all decorations

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and memorabilia that people put on grave sites. They just collect it all.

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They don't tell anybody, they just collect it.

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The Town of Cambridge, with Mount Auburn, for example, don't allow

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anything to be put on graves except for cut flowers.

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And so they routinely, again, collect things.

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If people put stuff

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with the best of intentions, with very personal kinds of intentions, nonetheless,

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they're rather draconian in their approach and collect everything.

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So this varies. Most of the towns that I contacted,

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Groton, Harvard, Townsend, Acton, Pepperell,

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Marblehead,

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either prohibit solar lights

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or one or two strongly would like to discourage it.

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And also, most of these towns routinely collect everything that people put on

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grave sites as the winter comes,

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and seasonal cleanups happen.

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It seems to be the more common practice, usually coordinated by

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DPWs in working with cemetery committees.

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So

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Shirley has been a little bit more informal in this

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regard, but we're a smaller town, and there's less

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action in terms of the number of funerals and

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ceremonies, but there's still, everybody has this desire to put

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seasonal decorations, hang a wreath on a gravestone or

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bring some flowers in the spring.

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And that, I think,

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falls into a category that's, I think, easier for us as a cemetery committee to

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say, "What's the harm in that?" What we're

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proposing is that very specifically that along with the

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prohibitions already in place, no plastic flowers, for example, no artificial

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flowers,

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that we add to that list

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solar-powered lights as being something that's a little unnatural, that

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kind of

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isn't in the spirit of these sacred, beautiful

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places of reflection. They call attention to themselves too much.

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It's light pollution by one definition.

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It's a way of signaling out a certain

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grave or place.

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What does that do to all the other graves that are in the area?

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I come from a family that has over 100 ancestors buried in the

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cemetery in the center. If I had a light on every one of those, it would look like

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Las Vegas. Clearly, that's an absurd idea.

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So we are completely in sympathy with those who choose to put

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things on these grave sites, and we have no desire to, at this point in

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time, to suggest that everything should be confiscated.

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That would be seem extreme, and I think kind of unkind.

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But we would like to

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vote and have your support for

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prohibiting solar-powered lights, and there's all sorts of new ones that are being

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invented and placed now on various graves,

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that those be

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prohibited in order to protect the historic character of these

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two cemeteries, places where people walk, places where people go to think

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and meditate and reflect. And if you've ever walked in

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a cemetery when night is coming or when the moon is out,

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the whole idea that something's flashing all night long

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is kind of distracting and I think inappropriate given the character that we

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hope to maintain, which I would define as not old or new, but traditional.

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00:10:14,648 --> 00:10:16,448
Yes. Would you like me to read

200
00:10:17,408 --> 00:10:19,487
the letter that we just received from Robert Adam?

201
00:10:19,908 --> 00:10:20,088
Or-

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00:10:20,487 --> 00:10:22,888
We did. That was forwarded to me this afternoon.

203
00:10:22,918 --> 00:10:22,918
Oh.

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00:10:22,928 --> 00:10:24,448
And I did add it to the packet.

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00:10:24,728 --> 00:10:25,067
Okay.

206
00:10:26,228 --> 00:10:28,128
So it is part of the packet, but

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00:10:30,008 --> 00:10:32,568
if you'd like to read it, I think it's pretty brief.

208
00:10:32,748 --> 00:10:34,598
If you've seen it already, I won't. No.

209
00:10:35,428 --> 00:10:38,127
Okay. Go on ahead. Just received it today. Yeah.

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00:10:38,468 --> 00:10:42,008
"Dear Selectboard members, I am writing to express my

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00:10:42,028 --> 00:10:45,628
concern for the votive lighting in the Shirley Center

212
00:10:45,728 --> 00:10:49,408
Cemetery. The addition of these lights appeared about 10 years

213
00:10:49,468 --> 00:10:52,468
ago and have increased in number since then.

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00:10:53,138 --> 00:10:55,808
They have never been approved by the cemetery committee.

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00:10:56,828 --> 00:11:00,608
I have lived in town all my adult life, and I have previously served over 20

216
00:11:00,708 --> 00:11:04,388
years on the Shirley Historic District Commission, as well

217
00:11:05,488 --> 00:11:09,148
as on other committees. During the last almost 50 years, I've been

218
00:11:09,228 --> 00:11:12,528
working to retain Shirley Center's historic character,

219
00:11:13,248 --> 00:11:16,868
managing many projects for the town, including removing

220
00:11:16,908 --> 00:11:20,128
17 utility poles that blighted the common.

221
00:11:21,068 --> 00:11:24,888
The votive lights in the cemetery are not appropriate for this

222
00:11:24,928 --> 00:11:27,988
18th century historic cemetery and should not be

223
00:11:28,068 --> 00:11:31,668
allowed. The cemetery should amend its regulations to

224
00:11:31,708 --> 00:11:34,288
prohibit these distracting lights.

225
00:11:34,648 --> 00:11:36,198
Thank you for your consideration.

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00:11:36,968 --> 00:11:38,488
Sincerely, Robert Adam."

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00:11:40,228 --> 00:11:43,688
And we received two similar letters, one from the

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00:11:43,768 --> 00:11:47,548
Historic District Commission and one from the Historical

229
00:11:47,648 --> 00:11:51,148
Society. I won't read those because I know they were in your

230
00:11:51,228 --> 00:11:51,828
packet.

231
00:11:53,748 --> 00:11:54,188
Okay. All right.

232
00:11:54,748 --> 00:11:58,108
So we're hoping you'll be able to say yes to this, and

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00:11:58,348 --> 00:12:02,088
there may be some thoughts and clearly concerns

234
00:12:02,128 --> 00:12:03,608
regarding people who have-

235
00:12:04,472 --> 00:12:05,632
put solar-powered lights on the

236
00:12:06,812 --> 00:12:10,272
graves of their loved ones. We understand that that's a sensitive matter.

237
00:12:10,892 --> 00:12:12,932
I do have concerns. I think

238
00:12:15,932 --> 00:12:16,492
you have to

239
00:12:17,672 --> 00:12:21,072
be aware of what goes into any of the cemeteries,

240
00:12:21,692 --> 00:12:24,352
because people do tend to overdo it.

241
00:12:25,292 --> 00:12:25,512
All right?

242
00:12:27,772 --> 00:12:28,782
Artificial flowers,

243
00:12:29,672 --> 00:12:31,952
I find those definitely not

244
00:12:32,832 --> 00:12:33,352
up to par.

245
00:12:34,512 --> 00:12:37,012
But Monday night, I took a ride

246
00:12:38,132 --> 00:12:39,152
to that cemetery.

247
00:12:39,752 --> 00:12:40,372
The one in the center?

248
00:12:40,872 --> 00:12:41,432
In the center.

249
00:12:41,532 --> 00:12:41,952
Yeah.

250
00:12:43,292 --> 00:12:43,592
And

251
00:12:44,952 --> 00:12:48,932
there wasn't a lot of lights, okay?

252
00:12:50,092 --> 00:12:53,852
I parked. I did not go in

253
00:12:53,872 --> 00:12:56,992
because it was too narrow, and I figured,

254
00:12:57,382 --> 00:12:58,712
"I'm not going to try that one."

255
00:13:00,092 --> 00:13:02,892
So I parked on the road.

256
00:13:03,832 --> 00:13:07,572
Now, if you park on the road, strangely enough, the

257
00:13:07,752 --> 00:13:10,452
stone wall is so high you really can't get a good view.

258
00:13:11,272 --> 00:13:14,992
You were parked next to the first meeting house on Horse Pond, it sounds like.

259
00:13:15,072 --> 00:13:16,272
I was parked on-

260
00:13:16,342 --> 00:13:17,552
Oh, you're on Brown Road

261
00:13:17,592 --> 00:13:17,862
... Brown Road.

262
00:13:17,862 --> 00:13:18,152
On Brown Road. Okay.

263
00:13:18,732 --> 00:13:21,332
I'm not sure where you live, but-

264
00:13:21,872 --> 00:13:22,112
Yeah, okay

265
00:13:22,132 --> 00:13:23,732
... I think across the street.

266
00:13:24,982 --> 00:13:24,982
Okay.

267
00:13:25,012 --> 00:13:28,512
I didn't see any flashing lights, not one.

268
00:13:29,632 --> 00:13:33,572
Did I see some solar lights? Yes,

269
00:13:33,852 --> 00:13:34,152
I did.

270
00:13:35,172 --> 00:13:35,832
Did I see a

271
00:13:37,452 --> 00:13:38,692
whole bunch of them? No.

272
00:13:39,652 --> 00:13:39,932
So

273
00:13:41,972 --> 00:13:45,872
I was trying to figure out, knowing that you live on that side of the road,

274
00:13:45,932 --> 00:13:47,052
that if they're flashing,

275
00:13:48,622 --> 00:13:52,482
that could be annoying if you're sitting at home or

276
00:13:53,212 --> 00:13:54,032
whatever house you're in.

277
00:13:55,412 --> 00:13:55,612
So

278
00:13:56,852 --> 00:13:58,612
I was dissatisfied with that look.

279
00:13:58,692 --> 00:14:02,192
So what I did is yesterday, I went and took a walk around the whole

280
00:14:02,232 --> 00:14:02,791
cemetery.

281
00:14:03,872 --> 00:14:03,882
Mm-hmm.

282
00:14:03,932 --> 00:14:07,912
And I left it in the car because I was running late, but I can

283
00:14:07,972 --> 00:14:08,832
tell you what's there.

284
00:14:09,892 --> 00:14:10,852
There was a tall bird.

285
00:14:11,872 --> 00:14:13,011
There was a tall elephant.

286
00:14:13,912 --> 00:14:14,882
I found them to be

287
00:14:17,192 --> 00:14:19,032
annoying. They were very tall.

288
00:14:20,972 --> 00:14:22,712
They weren't lit, obviously. It was during the day.

289
00:14:24,212 --> 00:14:25,472
There was a

290
00:14:26,832 --> 00:14:27,432
blue car,

291
00:14:28,572 --> 00:14:32,432
because I could spot that one Monday night, and I couldn't wait to see

292
00:14:32,492 --> 00:14:36,172
what that blue was. I didn't know if it meant police area or what it meant.

293
00:14:37,492 --> 00:14:40,902
And as I went by the one with the blue car, I'm thinking to myself,

294
00:14:42,432 --> 00:14:44,212
I don't know the family.

295
00:14:45,832 --> 00:14:46,492
Perhaps

296
00:14:47,292 --> 00:14:50,252
their whole life they dealt with cars. That would be my guess.

297
00:14:51,472 --> 00:14:54,292
So then I continued, and there were

298
00:14:55,412 --> 00:14:56,752
some of the shorter lights

299
00:14:57,612 --> 00:14:59,272
like you can get at the dollar store.

300
00:15:00,272 --> 00:15:00,312
I

301
00:15:01,712 --> 00:15:05,532
have them in front of my house, and I think they look fine,

302
00:15:05,732 --> 00:15:09,632
personally. All right? And I don't find them

303
00:15:09,652 --> 00:15:10,632
offensive to anything.

304
00:15:12,032 --> 00:15:12,512
I went

305
00:15:13,972 --> 00:15:15,132
towards one,

306
00:15:16,072 --> 00:15:16,452
and

307
00:15:17,912 --> 00:15:18,792
they had quite a

308
00:15:20,712 --> 00:15:21,252
lot of stuff,

309
00:15:22,632 --> 00:15:22,872
which

310
00:15:23,832 --> 00:15:26,652
I think in that case, when it's overdone like that,

311
00:15:27,772 --> 00:15:28,932
you don't confiscate it,

312
00:15:29,792 --> 00:15:32,502
but I think they could probably be spoken to

313
00:15:33,652 --> 00:15:35,912
that you don't need quite that many things.

314
00:15:36,932 --> 00:15:38,112
But I did notice

315
00:15:39,092 --> 00:15:42,972
there was, in the right-hand side in the back,

316
00:15:44,312 --> 00:15:46,272
there was a barber.

317
00:15:48,292 --> 00:15:49,512
They put on their barber shop.

318
00:15:49,972 --> 00:15:50,132
Hmm.

319
00:15:50,552 --> 00:15:50,832
Okay.

320
00:15:51,652 --> 00:15:51,712
Oh.

321
00:15:51,752 --> 00:15:53,192
Whatever it is, it's a light.

322
00:15:53,452 --> 00:15:53,532
Yeah.

323
00:15:54,312 --> 00:15:57,652
And I said, "Oh, that's interesting."

324
00:15:58,432 --> 00:15:59,672
But when I saw the name,

325
00:16:01,972 --> 00:16:02,232
I said

326
00:16:03,612 --> 00:16:04,222
that was really

327
00:16:05,892 --> 00:16:06,692
pretty amazing

328
00:16:07,532 --> 00:16:11,112
because that person had died, he's a young guy,

329
00:16:12,012 --> 00:16:13,812
and he was the barber downtown.

330
00:16:14,712 --> 00:16:18,592
And I thought that's their remembering of them, whether

331
00:16:18,612 --> 00:16:22,592
it's the brother that put it there, whoever put

332
00:16:22,632 --> 00:16:24,612
it. Then I started to think,

333
00:16:25,532 --> 00:16:26,351
is it solar?

334
00:16:27,672 --> 00:16:30,072
Then I'm thinking that it's probably going to twirl at night.

335
00:16:30,372 --> 00:16:33,032
I don't know if it did. It didn't twirl the night I was there.

336
00:16:33,092 --> 00:16:34,542
I don't think it twirls. No.

337
00:16:34,572 --> 00:16:34,872
Does it?

338
00:16:35,072 --> 00:16:35,612
I don't think so.

339
00:16:35,872 --> 00:16:39,372
Okay. So that's a plus, because I figured that could be very

340
00:16:39,832 --> 00:16:40,252
annoying.

341
00:16:42,112 --> 00:16:43,152
What else did I see?

342
00:16:44,172 --> 00:16:45,632
I didn't see anything

343
00:16:47,552 --> 00:16:49,212
offensive. I really didn't.

344
00:16:50,172 --> 00:16:52,772
I personally did not find the solar lights

345
00:16:54,012 --> 00:16:54,392
bad.

346
00:16:55,572 --> 00:16:56,752
Okay? I did not.

347
00:16:57,552 --> 00:17:01,352
And I'll tell you one thing I did notice Monday night when I

348
00:17:01,372 --> 00:17:02,692
was parked out there,

349
00:17:03,992 --> 00:17:06,972
that with the amount, there's not a lot of solar lights.

350
00:17:07,812 --> 00:17:09,093
I think there's maybe

351
00:17:10,072 --> 00:17:12,652
10. I have a list of them in my car.

352
00:17:12,772 --> 00:17:14,492
I counted 10 there and 14 downtown.

353
00:17:14,853 --> 00:17:18,593
Oh, okay. Good, I can count, then. That math degree worked.

354
00:17:18,652 --> 00:17:19,292
All right. So,

355
00:17:21,192 --> 00:17:25,133
that wasn't a lot. But one thing I thought to myself as

356
00:17:25,212 --> 00:17:25,952
I looked in there,

357
00:17:27,012 --> 00:17:30,492
the little bit of light that was shining,

358
00:17:31,672 --> 00:17:35,012
I could see if I were a police officer

359
00:17:35,692 --> 00:17:37,632
or a resident going by,

360
00:17:38,532 --> 00:17:42,132
and you had kids in there partying

361
00:17:42,252 --> 00:17:44,232
or somebody in that cemetery.

362
00:17:45,252 --> 00:17:49,032
I could see that where you wouldn't if it was pitch black.

363
00:17:49,872 --> 00:17:53,772
There was enough light that if somebody were walking on that

364
00:17:53,832 --> 00:17:54,192
road,

365
00:17:55,412 --> 00:17:58,572
the road that goes around, that I could see them

366
00:17:59,232 --> 00:18:00,312
and alert the police.

367
00:18:01,762 --> 00:18:05,702
There actually used to be a lot more streetlights on both Brown and Horse Pond

368
00:18:05,752 --> 00:18:05,792
that-

369
00:18:05,832 --> 00:18:06,562
Well, there are now

370
00:18:06,692 --> 00:18:07,572
... now there are very few.

371
00:18:07,672 --> 00:18:07,852
Right.

372
00:18:08,012 --> 00:18:08,432
Yeah.

373
00:18:08,512 --> 00:18:08,772
So-

374
00:18:10,652 --> 00:18:13,072
I spend quite a bit of time walking the cemetery,

375
00:18:14,132 --> 00:18:14,472
and

376
00:18:15,852 --> 00:18:18,512
personally, I think there should be some guidelines.

377
00:18:18,692 --> 00:18:22,432
I'm not sure what guidelines they should be.

378
00:18:24,712 --> 00:18:28,112
That one with all kinds of knick-knacks and stuff,

379
00:18:29,312 --> 00:18:33,092
maybe that is not necessary, but who am

380
00:18:33,192 --> 00:18:36,332
I to say it's unnecessary?

381
00:18:37,232 --> 00:18:40,812
My son is buried in St Anthony's, my parents are,

382
00:18:41,732 --> 00:18:42,052
and

383
00:18:43,112 --> 00:18:46,912
my son and daughter will go on Taylor's

384
00:18:46,952 --> 00:18:48,072
grave and put something.

385
00:18:49,612 --> 00:18:53,452
It's very special to us, and I don't think I'd want anybody to

386
00:18:53,532 --> 00:18:54,292
confiscate it.

387
00:18:55,652 --> 00:18:59,492
We don't have a solar light there.

388
00:19:00,572 --> 00:19:04,452
We have did the votive candles. They were red

389
00:19:04,472 --> 00:19:04,952
and blue,

390
00:19:06,532 --> 00:19:08,452
but they were stolen four times.

391
00:19:09,432 --> 00:19:10,981
So in my opinion,

392
00:19:12,032 --> 00:19:13,752
it's hard for me to ban

393
00:19:14,692 --> 00:19:15,392
and forbid

394
00:19:16,452 --> 00:19:17,092
solar lights.

395
00:19:18,012 --> 00:19:20,352
Have you ever been to a cemetery where

396
00:19:21,332 --> 00:19:22,532
this is common practice?

397
00:19:23,172 --> 00:19:24,152
What common practice?

398
00:19:25,752 --> 00:19:28,712
For example, I lived in the town of Milton, Massachusetts-

399
00:19:29,392 --> 00:19:29,402
Mm-hmm

400
00:19:29,402 --> 00:19:30,502
... as part of my teaching career,

401
00:19:31,392 --> 00:19:35,172
and there was an old cemetery, and then at the other end was the

402
00:19:35,242 --> 00:19:35,992
new cemetery.

403
00:19:36,192 --> 00:19:36,342
Mm-hmm.

404
00:19:37,112 --> 00:19:38,222
And honestly, the new cemetery,

405
00:19:39,992 --> 00:19:42,611
if I said Las Vegas, it's really not an exaggeration.

406
00:19:42,672 --> 00:19:46,652
It seemed to be almost a competition between people.

407
00:19:46,692 --> 00:19:48,652
Just how many different things could they think of for

408
00:19:49,732 --> 00:19:51,262
pinwheels, solar lights-

409
00:19:51,352 --> 00:19:52,212
I agree with you

410
00:19:52,252 --> 00:19:52,282
... knick-knacks.

411
00:19:52,312 --> 00:19:53,092
That's why I said there-

412
00:19:53,892 --> 00:19:53,902
In other words-

413
00:19:53,902 --> 00:19:54,512
... has to be guidelines.

414
00:19:54,572 --> 00:19:56,692
So what I'm saying is that there's a range.

415
00:19:58,132 --> 00:20:01,342
And so we've kind of sort of identified this

416
00:20:01,392 --> 00:20:05,202
as something and argue that it's a trend that's increasing,

417
00:20:05,872 --> 00:20:09,842
and one which I think is because you can buy things at the dollar store much

418
00:20:09,872 --> 00:20:13,702
more inexpensively, but they're also selling much more complex things that I've

419
00:20:13,712 --> 00:20:15,502
seen now in some cemeteries that are really

420
00:20:16,672 --> 00:20:18,312
rather out of scale. And I think-

421
00:20:18,471 --> 00:20:22,212
I think there should be a height requirement. I could go as far as that.

422
00:20:24,632 --> 00:20:25,952
The solar lights,

423
00:20:27,032 --> 00:20:28,972
I'm thinking aren't very big.

424
00:20:29,292 --> 00:20:29,682
The ones that-

425
00:20:29,682 --> 00:20:33,392
The butterfly or whatever it was, bird and the elephant, it's a little

426
00:20:33,452 --> 00:20:33,772
high.

427
00:20:34,122 --> 00:20:37,892
Some of them have a solar function, and they illuminate something up above, like

428
00:20:37,952 --> 00:20:39,412
the angel figure or whatever.

429
00:20:40,672 --> 00:20:41,282
So sometimes they're little-

430
00:20:41,332 --> 00:20:42,092
I didn't see anything

431
00:20:42,372 --> 00:20:44,432
... sometimes they're little like little statues.

432
00:20:45,172 --> 00:20:46,972
The ones that have been particularly, I think,

433
00:20:49,592 --> 00:20:51,832
concerning are flash all night long.

434
00:20:52,372 --> 00:20:54,892
Like the eternal flame. They flash all night long.

435
00:20:54,952 --> 00:20:56,981
There is one there that is a-

436
00:20:56,992 --> 00:20:57,882
There's three in the cemetery that do that

437
00:20:57,912 --> 00:20:58,612
... it's a fire.

438
00:20:59,152 --> 00:20:59,712
Yeah. It's a fake.

439
00:20:59,752 --> 00:21:00,432
That one might be-

440
00:21:00,472 --> 00:21:02,232
Fake fire. They flash all night long.

441
00:21:02,812 --> 00:21:02,922
It's like-

442
00:21:02,922 --> 00:21:03,892
It wasn't flash. It

443
00:21:04,812 --> 00:21:04,882
was-

444
00:21:05,372 --> 00:21:05,892
It's a flicker.

445
00:21:06,162 --> 00:21:06,162
It was-

446
00:21:06,162 --> 00:21:06,162
It's a flicker.

447
00:21:06,172 --> 00:21:06,752
Is it?

448
00:21:06,792 --> 00:21:07,962
It's supposed to imitate-

449
00:21:07,992 --> 00:21:08,692
Simulate a fire

450
00:21:09,032 --> 00:21:09,882
... a candle light.

451
00:21:09,882 --> 00:21:09,932
Candle.

452
00:21:09,972 --> 00:21:10,712
Eternal flame.

453
00:21:10,792 --> 00:21:10,981
Or a candle light, yeah.

454
00:21:10,981 --> 00:21:11,782
It's eternal flame idea.

455
00:21:11,782 --> 00:21:11,972
Yeah.

456
00:21:12,352 --> 00:21:14,532
I can even see that if it's

457
00:21:15,532 --> 00:21:16,512
maybe not that, but

458
00:21:17,372 --> 00:21:19,512
in my opinion, and it's only my opinion,

459
00:21:21,272 --> 00:21:22,132
a solar light,

460
00:21:23,232 --> 00:21:25,682
all you need is one. You don't need 10.

461
00:21:26,492 --> 00:21:28,972
You don't need four. I've seen four up there.

462
00:21:30,372 --> 00:21:33,472
But as far as banning it,

463
00:21:35,412 --> 00:21:37,112
I have a hard time with the word ban.

464
00:21:38,652 --> 00:21:42,112
So somewhere along the line, somebody decided no plastic flowers.

465
00:21:42,652 --> 00:21:45,892
I'm kind of in favor of that, too, but that seems like an

466
00:21:45,912 --> 00:21:48,552
arbitrary choice perhaps as well.

467
00:21:48,872 --> 00:21:52,692
I think the cemetery's better when everything is as natural as

468
00:21:52,732 --> 00:21:53,472
possible, given the-

469
00:21:53,902 --> 00:21:53,902
Mm-hmm

470
00:21:53,902 --> 00:21:57,392
... historic nature. I think that if this was a brand new, only a

471
00:21:57,432 --> 00:22:01,112
contemporary cemetery, then I think I might imagine a

472
00:22:01,152 --> 00:22:03,052
different set of regulations.

473
00:22:03,852 --> 00:22:07,342
But given the historic nature of these particular cemeteries,

474
00:22:07,832 --> 00:22:10,792
both of them with some incredibly beautiful...

475
00:22:10,952 --> 00:22:11,932
They're like parks.

476
00:22:13,312 --> 00:22:16,752
And it seems like a

477
00:22:16,772 --> 00:22:20,112
violation of what is a shared space for a

478
00:22:20,132 --> 00:22:23,812
particular person, heartfelt as that gesture may

479
00:22:23,852 --> 00:22:27,692
be to want to light up his or her or their family's grave

480
00:22:27,731 --> 00:22:30,842
because it does something almost in competition with the others.

481
00:22:30,892 --> 00:22:34,192
It makes the others less by making yours more. I don't think it's fair.

482
00:22:35,012 --> 00:22:38,952
See, I didn't take it as that. I didn't think it was a competition.

483
00:22:40,552 --> 00:22:44,112
But it comes across as why is this grave more important than another, and

484
00:22:44,512 --> 00:22:45,932
how come they have a light and we don't?

485
00:22:45,962 --> 00:22:46,092
And-

486
00:22:46,102 --> 00:22:47,882
But they have the right to do it if they-

487
00:22:47,932 --> 00:22:49,472
Well, if we allow it, yeah

488
00:22:49,632 --> 00:22:50,372
... so choose. Right.

489
00:22:50,382 --> 00:22:50,382
Right.

490
00:22:50,392 --> 00:22:54,152
But and I understand you have to have limits because people can-

491
00:22:56,432 --> 00:22:56,442
And-

492
00:22:56,442 --> 00:22:57,232
... get carried away.

493
00:22:57,392 --> 00:22:58,072
And actually,

494
00:22:59,172 --> 00:23:01,612
walking around the cemeteries a couple times as I have done as well,

495
00:23:03,012 --> 00:23:04,572
people do some very creative things.

496
00:23:06,112 --> 00:23:08,512
Some of the plantings are out of control, too. There are dead trees.

497
00:23:08,532 --> 00:23:09,372
There are live trees.

498
00:23:10,432 --> 00:23:12,572
But that's a different subject altogether.

499
00:23:12,892 --> 00:23:16,492
Sometimes the ones that are a little too tall look beautiful, but even though

500
00:23:16,552 --> 00:23:20,532
they've grown without being tended or taken care of, again, in some

501
00:23:20,572 --> 00:23:22,312
cemeteries, they would just remove all that.

502
00:23:23,132 --> 00:23:27,012
Shirley's been really kind of informal in that, in monitoring what

503
00:23:27,052 --> 00:23:29,032
people do or don't put on their graves.

504
00:23:29,092 --> 00:23:32,832
So nobody wants to get rid of the knick-knacks or the seashell or the special

505
00:23:32,872 --> 00:23:34,032
memento that stands for

506
00:23:34,992 --> 00:23:36,592
that relationship that someone had with

507
00:23:37,672 --> 00:23:41,272
the deceased family member. I think we're talking about what is a sort

508
00:23:41,312 --> 00:23:42,612
of shared space,

509
00:23:43,482 --> 00:23:46,662
the character of it, and at what point does that character

510
00:23:47,552 --> 00:23:50,612
change, and is it changed by the sum of these individual acts?

511
00:23:51,632 --> 00:23:55,452
I think in our view, this trend is becoming one that has

512
00:23:55,492 --> 00:23:59,402
reached a point where the character of the historic cemeteries is being

513
00:23:59,432 --> 00:24:03,092
affected by these lights that call attention, a little too much attention to

514
00:24:03,132 --> 00:24:03,592
themselves.

515
00:24:04,932 --> 00:24:05,792
Well, I-

516
00:24:05,832 --> 00:24:07,332
I'd love to hear what other members have to say.

517
00:24:07,672 --> 00:24:09,312
I can't make a motion, so

518
00:24:11,744 --> 00:24:13,824
Before we do that, Gordon, may I read?

519
00:24:13,884 --> 00:24:15,284
These are very short letters

520
00:24:16,344 --> 00:24:20,304
of support, one from the Historical Commission, the other from the Historical

521
00:24:20,384 --> 00:24:20,964
Society.

522
00:24:21,264 --> 00:24:22,084
Do you need me to get those?

523
00:24:23,084 --> 00:24:24,354
I handed them to Laura.

524
00:24:24,364 --> 00:24:24,624
There's three,

525
00:24:25,504 --> 00:24:25,514
yeah.

526
00:24:25,604 --> 00:24:26,963
Mm-hmm. Yeah, we have them.

527
00:24:27,184 --> 00:24:28,064
You didn't get them?

528
00:24:28,104 --> 00:24:28,604
Please do.

529
00:24:28,944 --> 00:24:30,964
Okay, so this one is from the

530
00:24:32,164 --> 00:24:34,804
Historical Commission, dated June 10th.

531
00:24:35,394 --> 00:24:38,684
"At our public meeting of June 9th, the Historical Commission reviewed your

532
00:24:38,764 --> 00:24:41,984
proposed regulation to prohibit solar lights.

533
00:24:42,024 --> 00:24:45,024
It was unanimously agreed that solar-powered lights are not

534
00:24:45,064 --> 00:24:47,584
appropriate at burial locations.

535
00:24:48,104 --> 00:24:51,744
The primary reason to support the regulation was to maintain proper

536
00:24:51,804 --> 00:24:55,504
respect for the dead and their surviving families

537
00:24:55,704 --> 00:24:59,384
and friends. These cemeteries are places for solitude

538
00:24:59,824 --> 00:25:03,204
and reflection, and artificial lights upset that

539
00:25:03,304 --> 00:25:07,274
balance. In addition, the historic features of the cemeteries

540
00:25:07,404 --> 00:25:09,684
are degraded by artificial lights.

541
00:25:11,124 --> 00:25:14,904
The Historical Commission supports your initiative to restore calm to our

542
00:25:14,944 --> 00:25:16,324
resting places."

543
00:25:18,124 --> 00:25:19,864
Okay, that's the Historical Commission.

544
00:25:20,054 --> 00:25:23,044
The Historical Society

545
00:25:23,224 --> 00:25:26,194
wrote a letter June 1st.

546
00:25:27,104 --> 00:25:30,724
"The Historical Society's board of directors voted unanimously on May

547
00:25:30,904 --> 00:25:34,564
31st, 2026, to support the Cemetery

548
00:25:34,684 --> 00:25:38,474
Committee's initiative to ban solar-powered

549
00:25:38,524 --> 00:25:41,904
lights in Shirley's center and village cemeteries.

550
00:25:42,424 --> 00:25:46,344
This will preserve the aesthetic and historic character of

551
00:25:46,364 --> 00:25:50,204
our cemeteries and is in conformance with the policies of

552
00:25:50,224 --> 00:25:51,184
nearby towns.

553
00:25:52,764 --> 00:25:56,594
Thank you for your consideration." Signed by the president of the

554
00:25:56,644 --> 00:25:57,884
Historical Society.

555
00:26:00,144 --> 00:26:01,744
So we have three letters of support.

556
00:26:01,964 --> 00:26:02,864
Gordon has

557
00:26:03,684 --> 00:26:06,884
done his research looking at other towns that don't allow it.

558
00:26:07,824 --> 00:26:09,674
I think we would be in conformance with

559
00:26:10,824 --> 00:26:12,184
what others are doing.

560
00:26:13,744 --> 00:26:17,304
Although, I do appreciate all the work you did

561
00:26:17,464 --> 00:26:17,844
to

562
00:26:18,724 --> 00:26:20,464
go and look and do your homework.

563
00:26:21,363 --> 00:26:22,624
I didn't know about the big elephant.

564
00:26:22,664 --> 00:26:23,124
I'll have to go-

565
00:26:23,244 --> 00:26:23,544
It's this

566
00:26:23,554 --> 00:26:24,524
... see the big elephant.

567
00:26:25,124 --> 00:26:26,273
It's not real big. It's tall.

568
00:26:26,273 --> 00:26:26,864
It's a big bird.

569
00:26:27,004 --> 00:26:27,444
A bird.

570
00:26:28,324 --> 00:26:28,894
It's tall.

571
00:26:30,644 --> 00:26:31,004
Okay.

572
00:26:31,864 --> 00:26:32,944
You also wanted to say something?

573
00:26:33,324 --> 00:26:37,184
Yeah, sure. So I can say once this topic came up a while

574
00:26:37,244 --> 00:26:40,874
ago, it's something I thought about every time I drove by the cemeteries at night,

575
00:26:41,384 --> 00:26:45,364
and I did see the lights. It's impossible not to see them when you're

576
00:26:45,404 --> 00:26:45,884
looking for them.

577
00:26:48,004 --> 00:26:50,724
All through high school and junior high, I used to work in a cemetery

578
00:26:51,884 --> 00:26:55,404
over the summertime, and I was always impressed with

579
00:26:55,944 --> 00:26:58,744
the sheer quantity of stuff that we were assigned to go pick up.

580
00:26:59,584 --> 00:27:02,704
Filled up dumpsters all the time.

581
00:27:03,384 --> 00:27:03,804
And

582
00:27:05,004 --> 00:27:08,984
I can say that, yeah, solar lights weren't a thing back then because now I'm

583
00:27:09,004 --> 00:27:10,244
getting pretty old.

584
00:27:11,484 --> 00:27:15,124
They weren't even contemplated back then, but I actually called up the old cemetery

585
00:27:15,164 --> 00:27:17,884
I used to work with, and they prohibit it.

586
00:27:18,204 --> 00:27:21,224
Not that it means anything, but it kind of meant something to me.

587
00:27:23,264 --> 00:27:24,024
Generally speaking,

588
00:27:25,944 --> 00:27:28,904
it's obviously a sensitive issue for a lot of people.

589
00:27:29,324 --> 00:27:32,664
But I can say I'm not somebody who likes to be in stuff.

590
00:27:32,964 --> 00:27:36,464
I just don't. But I can say from the

591
00:27:36,484 --> 00:27:40,404
historical aspect of it, that's the part that kind of pushes

592
00:27:40,464 --> 00:27:44,224
me to kind of agreeing with that because from an

593
00:27:44,364 --> 00:27:45,634
historic aspect of it,

594
00:27:46,744 --> 00:27:50,684
I get it. If it was a modern, like Barry Manilow

595
00:27:50,744 --> 00:27:54,604
type cemetery, it would be appropriate to have solar lights.

596
00:27:54,684 --> 00:27:57,524
In fact, they probably have celebrations and contests.

597
00:27:57,884 --> 00:27:58,584
But at the end of the day,

598
00:27:59,404 --> 00:28:02,924
I do see the historical aspect of it. So...

599
00:28:04,724 --> 00:28:05,063
Thank you.

600
00:28:05,264 --> 00:28:05,544
Yeah.

601
00:28:06,044 --> 00:28:07,174
What cemetery did you work in?

602
00:28:07,694 --> 00:28:09,204
Mellor Cemetery in Brockton.

603
00:28:10,084 --> 00:28:10,094
Oh.

604
00:28:10,124 --> 00:28:10,324
Yeah.

605
00:28:11,734 --> 00:28:11,734
So-

606
00:28:11,744 --> 00:28:12,864
A long time ago.

607
00:28:14,644 --> 00:28:18,104
For myself, I don't like to prohibit anything, but

608
00:28:19,584 --> 00:28:22,644
for the solar light, I think I passed one or twice

609
00:28:23,944 --> 00:28:25,164
around the cemetery.

610
00:28:26,144 --> 00:28:27,504
I really didn't see

611
00:28:28,683 --> 00:28:30,584
those bright light.

612
00:28:31,623 --> 00:28:33,623
I was looking for light who can

613
00:28:34,484 --> 00:28:38,184
go through the houses where you're sleeping at

614
00:28:38,204 --> 00:28:41,904
night and the reflections of the light coming to you.

615
00:28:42,644 --> 00:28:43,204
There wasn't

616
00:28:44,124 --> 00:28:46,364
those kind of light in the cemetery.

617
00:28:47,304 --> 00:28:47,564
And

618
00:28:50,304 --> 00:28:53,024
I don't think it will be fair to ban that

619
00:28:53,824 --> 00:28:54,284
because

620
00:28:55,324 --> 00:28:58,924
that can mean something for someone and doesn't mean something for

621
00:28:58,964 --> 00:28:59,484
someone.

622
00:29:00,524 --> 00:29:01,644
My mom is buried

623
00:29:02,524 --> 00:29:06,284
at St. Anthony's. Yes, I don't put solar light, but

624
00:29:06,584 --> 00:29:08,124
sometimes when I go, I put flowers.

625
00:29:09,374 --> 00:29:10,364
Real flowers, not

626
00:29:11,264 --> 00:29:12,164
artificial one.

627
00:29:13,204 --> 00:29:17,044
But when I bring those flowers, they mean something to me.

628
00:29:17,804 --> 00:29:20,944
It's on each time I know that it

629
00:29:21,304 --> 00:29:25,124
reflects something for her, it reflects something for my family, that's when I went

630
00:29:25,164 --> 00:29:28,904
there. And maybe the light means something for those people.

631
00:29:29,824 --> 00:29:33,484
And it's nighttime. It doesn't stay long.

632
00:29:34,164 --> 00:29:35,604
It doesn't stay forever.

633
00:29:37,624 --> 00:29:41,584
And it's not like if it was that tall, tall, tall things, we will

634
00:29:41,644 --> 00:29:44,784
understand that, but those small kind of things and,

635
00:29:46,524 --> 00:29:46,924
I don't know.

636
00:29:47,324 --> 00:29:47,594
I think that-

637
00:29:47,644 --> 00:29:48,184
I don't see

638
00:29:48,244 --> 00:29:50,074
... I'm thinking

639
00:29:50,964 --> 00:29:54,244
if you grew up in the city or if you grew up in the country, that sets up a

640
00:29:54,284 --> 00:29:57,784
difference in a way, I think. I grew up in the

641
00:29:57,824 --> 00:30:01,424
country. I grew up in quiet outdoor places

642
00:30:01,924 --> 00:30:03,924
where there weren't a lot of artificial lights.

643
00:30:03,984 --> 00:30:05,324
Even streetlights were kind of rare.

644
00:30:06,064 --> 00:30:10,004
And so I suppose that's my bias in looking at the

645
00:30:10,044 --> 00:30:11,864
center cemetery, and the village cemetery, too,

646
00:30:13,164 --> 00:30:16,704
is that it's always been like this quiet, wonderful

647
00:30:17,084 --> 00:30:17,384
park

648
00:30:18,276 --> 00:30:21,906
And not like a city park where kids are playing basketball or walking the

649
00:30:21,976 --> 00:30:23,056
dogs or whatever.

650
00:30:24,096 --> 00:30:26,736
It's almost like a meditation garden.

651
00:30:28,456 --> 00:30:32,296
And to me, there's no question about the sincerity of

652
00:30:33,176 --> 00:30:36,156
people placing things on their loved ones' graves.

653
00:30:36,216 --> 00:30:40,116
I completely understand that, and I'm very much against the idea

654
00:30:40,136 --> 00:30:43,056
of telling people to remove all their little mementos.

655
00:30:43,376 --> 00:30:47,086
There are a great number. You could fill up a dump truck easily right now with

656
00:30:47,116 --> 00:30:49,736
what's in the Shirley Center Cemetery.

657
00:30:49,906 --> 00:30:53,536
I'm not proposing, nor are we, anything that

658
00:30:53,556 --> 00:30:57,176
draconian or extreme, because those things don't really

659
00:30:57,266 --> 00:30:58,856
affect anyone else.

660
00:30:59,736 --> 00:31:03,116
They're there, and they mean what they mean for the people who place them there

661
00:31:03,126 --> 00:31:05,836
honoring their loved ones, and some have died young.

662
00:31:05,896 --> 00:31:08,836
Some have died, of course, after a natural, long, old age.

663
00:31:09,356 --> 00:31:11,016
But those things don't affect anybody else.

664
00:31:11,456 --> 00:31:14,936
The lights affect others, and they affect the experience

665
00:31:14,996 --> 00:31:17,676
of anyone walking in the cemetery

666
00:31:18,796 --> 00:31:22,606
at another time. And I think this is my country perspective, not my

667
00:31:22,716 --> 00:31:26,156
city perspective. There's not a chance in heck that those lights are going to

668
00:31:26,166 --> 00:31:28,996
affect the houses. No, it doesn't go that way.

669
00:31:29,036 --> 00:31:32,776
It's what people see from the houses or the roads,

670
00:31:33,336 --> 00:31:34,266
walking or driving

671
00:31:35,256 --> 00:31:39,016
proximate to these cemeteries, and what the experience of the whole place is.

672
00:31:39,136 --> 00:31:41,496
It's a jarring element, and I think that,

673
00:31:43,356 --> 00:31:44,636
to me, the balance has to do with

674
00:31:45,796 --> 00:31:49,046
the effect on everyone versus the value for the individual.

675
00:31:49,076 --> 00:31:52,716
And I think that there are lots of choices right now for individual family

676
00:31:52,796 --> 00:31:56,156
members when it comes to placing things on graves, and we're not

677
00:31:56,676 --> 00:31:58,296
suggesting any further

678
00:31:59,416 --> 00:32:02,916
kind of prohibitions. And Shirley would

679
00:32:02,956 --> 00:32:06,676
remain on the very liberal side of these kinds of

680
00:32:06,696 --> 00:32:10,176
practices compared to all these other towns with whom I communicate,

681
00:32:10,636 --> 00:32:14,396
who routinely confiscate things and hardly allow

682
00:32:15,076 --> 00:32:16,726
much of anything of this kind. And certainly,

683
00:32:17,596 --> 00:32:20,976
I'd say 90% do prohibit solar lights.

684
00:32:21,496 --> 00:32:22,556
So to me, it's sort of like

685
00:32:23,776 --> 00:32:25,916
what's good for everybody versus what's good for the individuals.

686
00:32:26,036 --> 00:32:26,835
I think we're not saying

687
00:32:28,176 --> 00:32:31,396
don't place things to commemorate your loved ones, but we're saying

688
00:32:32,056 --> 00:32:36,046
this particular thing we think affects the experience of others, and

689
00:32:36,076 --> 00:32:39,746
we think it's one that is not historical and

690
00:32:40,796 --> 00:32:44,436
is a little less than fully aesthetic given what we're trying to maintain, which

691
00:32:44,496 --> 00:32:47,256
is a beautiful garden cemetery,

692
00:32:48,496 --> 00:32:49,596
a place of meditation.

693
00:32:51,836 --> 00:32:55,656
And I'd like to add that Robert's, the first letter that I

694
00:32:56,016 --> 00:32:56,356
read,

695
00:32:58,136 --> 00:33:01,776
he said the lights appeared about 10 years ago, and

696
00:33:02,936 --> 00:33:05,576
I think we're going to be seeing more and more of them because they're getting less

697
00:33:05,596 --> 00:33:06,536
and less expensive.

698
00:33:06,596 --> 00:33:07,416
You can buy them anywhere.

699
00:33:07,496 --> 00:33:10,136
And yeah, as you said, you can buy them in a dollar store.

700
00:33:10,836 --> 00:33:12,546
So it's a proliferation thing.

701
00:33:13,536 --> 00:33:17,136
There's only 10 now and 14 approximately

702
00:33:17,276 --> 00:33:20,046
in the center and village cemeteries, but

703
00:33:21,296 --> 00:33:24,256
I suspect we'll be seeing more as time goes on.

704
00:33:28,056 --> 00:33:30,156
We'd like the board's support for this,

705
00:33:31,696 --> 00:33:35,296
what we think is a small adjustment in what is and isn't allowed,

706
00:33:35,376 --> 00:33:39,116
and we stand behind people continuing to

707
00:33:39,176 --> 00:33:43,096
commemorate their loved ones by placing things on their graves.

708
00:33:43,136 --> 00:33:46,556
And there's a great many choices, from natural flowers to

709
00:33:46,596 --> 00:33:50,506
mementos to other kinds of objects that people, photographs,

710
00:33:50,596 --> 00:33:53,716
for example, that people are now routinely

711
00:33:54,656 --> 00:33:57,816
putting on graves. We have no objection to any of those choices.

712
00:33:59,136 --> 00:33:59,936
I just find that

713
00:34:00,896 --> 00:34:03,516
odd because I find those more offensive,

714
00:34:05,856 --> 00:34:07,656
little knick-knacks and whatever.

715
00:34:08,377 --> 00:34:08,845
But they don't-

716
00:34:08,845 --> 00:34:09,966
I'm sorry, I just don't

717
00:34:11,736 --> 00:34:12,256
find...

718
00:34:13,236 --> 00:34:15,516
We're at a time,

719
00:34:16,696 --> 00:34:20,576
I know this is historic, like Brian said.

720
00:34:21,296 --> 00:34:23,457
I've lived in this town my whole life,

721
00:34:24,636 --> 00:34:25,016
and

722
00:34:26,437 --> 00:34:30,056
I guess I don't think, a cemetery is a cemetery.

723
00:34:30,437 --> 00:34:33,476
Yours is very historic up there, and I realize that.

724
00:34:34,156 --> 00:34:35,026
All right, because I was

725
00:34:36,056 --> 00:34:38,636
up there long enough to walk through,

726
00:34:39,776 --> 00:34:40,196
and

727
00:34:42,417 --> 00:34:42,736
I

728
00:34:45,216 --> 00:34:48,937
had a hard time when we discussed, was it the-

729
00:34:49,736 --> 00:34:49,966
Green

730
00:34:50,336 --> 00:34:50,877
... the green.

731
00:34:51,917 --> 00:34:52,466
Yeah, the green.

732
00:34:52,466 --> 00:34:53,857
That was difficult.

733
00:34:55,836 --> 00:34:57,916
And I went with that.

734
00:34:59,816 --> 00:35:00,056
I

735
00:35:03,296 --> 00:35:04,006
am sorry, I'd

736
00:35:05,096 --> 00:35:07,456
rather see all the junk removed

737
00:35:08,676 --> 00:35:11,676
and a little solar light, not the big ones.

738
00:35:12,676 --> 00:35:13,516
I'd like to see

739
00:35:14,496 --> 00:35:17,306
if it gets to the point where it

740
00:35:17,436 --> 00:35:20,876
is turning into it looks like Fenway Park,

741
00:35:21,816 --> 00:35:22,936
then maybe we can

742
00:35:25,956 --> 00:35:27,816
go over it again and then say, "That's it.

743
00:35:27,876 --> 00:35:28,716
It's out of control."

744
00:35:28,796 --> 00:35:32,616
I fear that if something becomes a widespread practice, like-

745
00:35:32,916 --> 00:35:33,996
But we don't know that.

746
00:35:34,056 --> 00:35:34,086
It doesn't end.

747
00:35:34,096 --> 00:35:37,336
So right now, I didn't see enough to be-

748
00:35:37,376 --> 00:35:41,356
And I don't know how anyone would possibly monitor, "This knick-knack's okay, but

749
00:35:41,416 --> 00:35:43,596
that one's not." That seems utterly impossible.

750
00:35:43,616 --> 00:35:46,346
Because a light's a light, and I notice.

751
00:35:46,346 --> 00:35:49,416
Yeah, it's easy to identify that and therefore to say yes or no.

752
00:35:49,426 --> 00:35:52,496
I don't know. Okay.

753
00:35:52,616 --> 00:35:53,036
This is our

754
00:35:53,916 --> 00:35:55,256
plea to sort of simplify-

755
00:35:55,536 --> 00:35:56,116
And I know, and I, it's a-

756
00:35:56,846 --> 00:35:57,146
... what we're-

757
00:35:57,756 --> 00:35:58,536
I just can't

758
00:35:58,596 --> 00:35:59,026
... allowing.

759
00:35:59,776 --> 00:36:01,096
I can't do it.

760
00:36:01,226 --> 00:36:01,226
All right.

761
00:36:01,356 --> 00:36:02,856
Do we have a motion?

762
00:36:03,976 --> 00:36:04,796
Whoever wants to make it.

763
00:36:05,736 --> 00:36:09,556
I'll toss it out there. I move to approve the Cemetery

764
00:36:09,616 --> 00:36:12,936
Commission's request to prohibit solar lights.

765
00:36:15,116 --> 00:36:16,276
Who's going to second?

766
00:36:18,296 --> 00:36:18,596
Not me.

767
00:36:21,260 --> 00:36:21,530
Sorry

768
00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:23,200
You can't even second the motion

769
00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:25,760
Need to, so...

770
00:36:28,260 --> 00:36:29,410
Can I ask a personal question?

771
00:36:30,090 --> 00:36:30,090
Sure.

772
00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:33,940
I fear sometimes that given the positions that you occupy,

773
00:36:34,510 --> 00:36:37,980
that part of what might guide your own

774
00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:41,230
decision-making is what people are going to say about what you've said or what

775
00:36:41,260 --> 00:36:44,640
you've ruled. Is that not a fair rhetorical question?

776
00:36:45,540 --> 00:36:49,220
That when you make decisions on behalf of the town, clearly what you have to factor

777
00:36:49,240 --> 00:36:52,850
in is how are people going to react to what you've decided and put your official

778
00:36:52,920 --> 00:36:53,540
stamp on?

779
00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:55,480
I think of that all the time.

780
00:36:55,540 --> 00:36:55,720
Okay.

781
00:36:55,820 --> 00:36:57,510
That's why I spend my life-

782
00:36:57,800 --> 00:36:58,640
Yeah

783
00:36:58,650 --> 00:37:02,340
... on Main Street, bent over, cleaning the

784
00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:02,980
streets,

785
00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:05,900
cleaning the islands,

786
00:37:07,700 --> 00:37:11,490
fighting with the railroad on a daily basis, and

787
00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:13,080
finally getting things done.

788
00:37:14,160 --> 00:37:15,840
I do a lot for the town.

789
00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:16,450
No, I don't doubt that.

790
00:37:16,480 --> 00:37:20,460
And people see me, and most of the time

791
00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:23,640
they don't, because I'm out Sunday at 6:30 in the morning.

792
00:37:24,540 --> 00:37:27,160
Do I worry about what people are going to think?

793
00:37:30,020 --> 00:37:33,630
If I worried about what people thought, I would never have done 50

794
00:37:33,700 --> 00:37:34,860
years in education.

795
00:37:35,020 --> 00:37:35,520
Well, fair enough.

796
00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:39,450
And, I would hope that people, this is my opinion,

797
00:37:41,160 --> 00:37:44,450
it's nothing against... It's a difficult opinion,

798
00:37:45,260 --> 00:37:49,140
but I feel strongly about it. And I have been

799
00:37:49,200 --> 00:37:51,460
on the committee nine, 10 years, and I

800
00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:55,120
accept a lot of things.

801
00:37:55,500 --> 00:37:55,540
So-

802
00:37:55,590 --> 00:37:58,360
I've never denied it. This is something that-

803
00:37:58,640 --> 00:37:59,200
So does it,

804
00:38:00,100 --> 00:38:03,620
keeping up with the Joneses is kind of a crude way of saying

805
00:38:03,640 --> 00:38:07,460
that the majority of the towns that I contacted, a limited sample,

806
00:38:07,560 --> 00:38:11,140
about 10, I'd say 9% prohibit solar lights.

807
00:38:11,420 --> 00:38:11,860
Mm-hmm.

808
00:38:12,180 --> 00:38:13,800
What makes us so different?

809
00:38:14,420 --> 00:38:17,580
Well, that's a very good question because when I fight with the

810
00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:20,380
trains and the bigwigs in Boston,

811
00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:24,700
as I travel through Concord-

812
00:38:24,780 --> 00:38:25,120
Yeah.

813
00:38:25,260 --> 00:38:28,260
... their railroads are all manicured.

814
00:38:28,520 --> 00:38:29,160
We're paying,

815
00:38:30,240 --> 00:38:31,160
I'm weed whacking.

816
00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:31,820
Sure.

817
00:38:31,859 --> 00:38:35,520
The DPW is weed whacking, which they shouldn't be.

818
00:38:35,580 --> 00:38:37,280
They have enough things to worry about.

819
00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:37,540
Right.

820
00:38:37,700 --> 00:38:40,700
But if you go through Concord, you go through Acton,

821
00:38:41,700 --> 00:38:42,510
I keep saying,

822
00:38:43,489 --> 00:38:44,680
"It doesn't look like Shirley."

823
00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:49,380
I'm sorry. This is little Shirley, and they really don't...

824
00:38:50,460 --> 00:38:52,660
It's not a big deal. It is a big deal to me.

825
00:38:52,870 --> 00:38:55,060
I have spent 74 years here.

826
00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:56,989
So for me, the solar lights-

827
00:38:56,989 --> 00:39:00,020
So what's good in Concord, is good in Concord.

828
00:39:00,060 --> 00:39:00,070
Right.

829
00:39:00,100 --> 00:39:01,429
It should be good all the way

830
00:39:02,420 --> 00:39:03,580
down the train track.

831
00:39:03,860 --> 00:39:05,800
So I couldn't agree more with that.

832
00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:07,340
I'm happy to support

833
00:39:08,180 --> 00:39:09,140
causes in that name.

834
00:39:11,420 --> 00:39:13,760
We're trying to keep something, it's obviously too late,

835
00:39:15,620 --> 00:39:18,660
natural, and we feel like these solar lights are unnatural.

836
00:39:19,420 --> 00:39:20,090
And as much as a

837
00:39:20,900 --> 00:39:24,800
given solar light means something to the person that places it on a grave,

838
00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:28,709
and I notice which families visit their graves most often, including a

839
00:39:28,740 --> 00:39:30,290
couple that do have these solar lights.

840
00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:34,560
It's clear that they're just still grieving quite actively, and having

841
00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:35,360
that stuff there

842
00:39:36,180 --> 00:39:38,940
means a great deal to them. I understand the sensitive nature of that.

843
00:39:40,100 --> 00:39:42,390
Most of these things just get planted, and they get abandoned.

844
00:39:42,860 --> 00:39:46,220
Half of them don't seem to work. Things fall down.

845
00:39:46,300 --> 00:39:49,790
A lot of these graves are just not really tended to by

846
00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:53,800
people. They just plant something like a souvenir, like a trophy, and then off

847
00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:54,239
they go.

848
00:39:55,180 --> 00:39:56,209
So it's not-

849
00:39:56,269 --> 00:39:58,100
Well, those should be picked up and put in the pile.

850
00:39:58,130 --> 00:39:59,640
Well, but that includes most of the solar lights.

851
00:39:59,700 --> 00:39:59,709
And so-

852
00:39:59,709 --> 00:40:00,960
Includes a lot of the solar lights

853
00:40:00,970 --> 00:40:01,790
... I don't have a problem with that.

854
00:40:01,790 --> 00:40:03,720
So just if I can

855
00:40:05,180 --> 00:40:09,080
interject a little bit. So I can tell you, obviously

856
00:40:09,120 --> 00:40:10,580
the first time this

857
00:40:12,280 --> 00:40:16,269
was approached or presented to the select board, there were

858
00:40:16,280 --> 00:40:17,680
a lot of questions, a lot of discussion.

859
00:40:18,780 --> 00:40:21,120
I can tell you that each select board member,

860
00:40:22,300 --> 00:40:25,500
I know and can speak to them, were giving it a lot of thought, doing their

861
00:40:25,540 --> 00:40:26,400
homework, et cetera.

862
00:40:27,440 --> 00:40:31,080
I think there are very valid points on both

863
00:40:31,140 --> 00:40:31,560
sides.

864
00:40:32,860 --> 00:40:35,399
I think people would have different views, et cetera.

865
00:40:37,580 --> 00:40:41,360
In this particular scenario, there was some

866
00:40:41,400 --> 00:40:43,480
healthy discussion on two separate meetings.

867
00:40:44,740 --> 00:40:44,900
In

868
00:40:46,240 --> 00:40:47,920
this particular, as we just saw,

869
00:40:50,720 --> 00:40:51,320
agenda item,

870
00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:56,280
a vote was or a motion was made. It wasn't seconded.

871
00:40:56,880 --> 00:40:59,940
I think Select Board Member Flagg did say that

872
00:41:00,880 --> 00:41:02,680
it's something that we can monitor.

873
00:41:02,720 --> 00:41:06,440
I don't think there was any type of vote that said

874
00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:09,960
it's never to be revisited.

875
00:41:10,980 --> 00:41:12,120
So I think right now,

876
00:41:13,600 --> 00:41:16,780
the board did go through the process of

877
00:41:18,000 --> 00:41:21,940
discussing, and I think that's where we're at at

878
00:41:21,980 --> 00:41:22,340
the moment.

879
00:41:23,700 --> 00:41:26,720
I know it was a difficult decision. It doesn't reflect everyone's views.

880
00:41:28,180 --> 00:41:32,170
But that's just where I think we're at at this point for this particular agenda

881
00:41:32,240 --> 00:41:32,480
item.

882
00:41:34,200 --> 00:41:37,319
Thank you, William. Thank you all for your

883
00:41:37,440 --> 00:41:38,680
consideration and

884
00:41:39,660 --> 00:41:42,160
Deb for going and walking the cemetery.

885
00:41:42,280 --> 00:41:45,740
I do see you downtown. It's like, "Oh, there she is again."

886
00:41:47,080 --> 00:41:48,140
I know how hard you work.

887
00:41:49,040 --> 00:41:50,990
And we will monitor. We can come back to you again-

888
00:41:50,990 --> 00:41:54,800
Yeah, monitor and then revisit it if it gets out of hand.

889
00:41:54,860 --> 00:41:55,570
I can understand that

890
00:41:55,580 --> 00:41:56,710
... Yeah, keep counting,

891
00:41:57,660 --> 00:42:01,620
Gordon, if you see, as really 10 has become 20,

892
00:42:01,680 --> 00:42:04,380
has become 30. Let's keep track of it.

893
00:42:04,440 --> 00:42:04,450
Sure.

894
00:42:04,460 --> 00:42:07,860
The ones with, the lights that flash all night long are particularly annoying.

895
00:42:07,870 --> 00:42:10,110
Yeah. Well, thank you.

896
00:42:10,300 --> 00:42:11,680
All right. Okay.

897
00:42:11,750 --> 00:42:15,480
And I will now close the cemetery committee meeting at

898
00:42:15,680 --> 00:42:16,380
6:42.

899
00:42:17,940 --> 00:42:19,190
Great discussion. Thank you.

900
00:42:19,240 --> 00:42:19,500
All right.

901
00:42:20,080 --> 00:42:20,540
Thank you.

902
00:42:20,740 --> 00:42:20,790
Thank you.

903
00:42:20,790 --> 00:42:21,360
Thanks for your time.

904
00:42:21,600 --> 00:42:21,920
All right

905
00:42:25,336 --> 00:42:29,296
Next, we have discussion of NexGen Grant Award and keep

906
00:42:29,336 --> 00:42:33,076
the light on master service agreement and statement of work,

907
00:42:33,396 --> 00:42:34,286
vote may taken.

908
00:42:35,836 --> 00:42:38,816
So really this is just going to be a little bit more of an update.

909
00:42:39,676 --> 00:42:39,736
I

910
00:42:41,556 --> 00:42:44,796
would recommend that no vote be taken at this time.

911
00:42:45,736 --> 00:42:45,976
So

912
00:42:47,036 --> 00:42:50,076
I think maybe a few months ago, we had a presentation

913
00:42:51,356 --> 00:42:55,176
by a group, NexGen Energy, and it was

914
00:42:55,396 --> 00:42:58,136
an initiative that was presented, if you recall,

915
00:42:59,216 --> 00:43:00,376
first to the town of Harvard,

916
00:43:01,556 --> 00:43:04,155
then to the town of Ayer and Shirley.

917
00:43:04,216 --> 00:43:08,016
And it was something that was presented to us and really the whole

918
00:43:08,096 --> 00:43:10,056
scope is a very

919
00:43:11,796 --> 00:43:13,116
large-scale project

920
00:43:14,296 --> 00:43:15,096
that would be

921
00:43:18,116 --> 00:43:21,856
pretty significant on multiple different scenarios,

922
00:43:22,316 --> 00:43:23,796
and it would have multiple phases.

923
00:43:24,516 --> 00:43:28,316
When this was presented, obviously I think there was some basic discussion

924
00:43:29,096 --> 00:43:33,076
involving, well, it's something that the town would definitely want to

925
00:43:33,116 --> 00:43:36,906
consider carefully based on it involves solar, and I know that's been

926
00:43:37,796 --> 00:43:41,316
a topic that in the past has had a little bit of

927
00:43:41,356 --> 00:43:44,666
controversy. And anyway, what

928
00:43:44,736 --> 00:43:48,656
was asked of the three towns was to sign a

929
00:43:48,696 --> 00:43:51,896
non-binding MOU to essentially explore

930
00:43:52,736 --> 00:43:54,896
the possibility of maybe the first phase

931
00:43:55,736 --> 00:43:59,216
and apply for an MVP grant. MVP is municipal

932
00:43:59,536 --> 00:44:00,856
vulnerability preparedness.

933
00:44:01,896 --> 00:44:05,866
And, so after reviewing town council and talking

934
00:44:05,896 --> 00:44:07,276
with both Ayer and Harvard,

935
00:44:08,716 --> 00:44:12,416
that is something that we moved forward with, and we applied for a

936
00:44:12,456 --> 00:44:12,856
grant.

937
00:44:14,596 --> 00:44:18,176
The good news is a grant was awarded to the three

938
00:44:18,276 --> 00:44:19,556
towns for a million dollars

939
00:44:20,436 --> 00:44:21,356
for the first phase.

940
00:44:22,516 --> 00:44:24,776
I think originally when this occurred,

941
00:44:26,136 --> 00:44:29,496
I think some of the parties involved were looking to move

942
00:44:29,576 --> 00:44:30,776
forward pretty quickly,

943
00:44:32,056 --> 00:44:35,356
and discuss the whole project at once, which

944
00:44:36,056 --> 00:44:36,416
I think

945
00:44:37,396 --> 00:44:39,136
a lot of the select board members,

946
00:44:39,976 --> 00:44:42,576
definitely the town administrators or managers

947
00:44:43,436 --> 00:44:46,736
felt that was definitely too fast before the due

948
00:44:46,796 --> 00:44:50,556
diligence would occur.

949
00:44:50,896 --> 00:44:51,556
And so

950
00:44:52,396 --> 00:44:54,396
I think we were able to communicate that.

951
00:44:54,556 --> 00:44:55,996
I think where we're at right now,

952
00:44:57,076 --> 00:44:58,296
I think Logan can attest,

953
00:45:00,036 --> 00:45:03,876
I just had my third meeting within this

954
00:45:03,916 --> 00:45:07,536
week, each one of which was over an hour of really trying to

955
00:45:07,576 --> 00:45:08,276
understand

956
00:45:09,276 --> 00:45:11,096
the process of what would occur,

957
00:45:12,116 --> 00:45:15,816
what the commitments would be, whether they'd be financial,

958
00:45:15,896 --> 00:45:16,756
non-financial,

959
00:45:18,056 --> 00:45:20,766
how everything would play out even though we're really

960
00:45:21,736 --> 00:45:24,496
haven't even entered into phase one.

961
00:45:24,536 --> 00:45:27,796
And so I do have a much better understanding of that, but there's a lot more

962
00:45:27,856 --> 00:45:29,296
questions that have to be answered.

963
00:45:29,306 --> 00:45:32,536
There's a lot more things that have to be vetted by town council.

964
00:45:33,916 --> 00:45:34,776
And so really,

965
00:45:37,256 --> 00:45:41,136
I would come before the board before we move forward with anything, but I think the

966
00:45:41,176 --> 00:45:42,986
way that this is probably

967
00:45:44,876 --> 00:45:48,336
looking to play out is that the three

968
00:45:48,436 --> 00:45:51,016
towns were awarded a million dollar grant.

969
00:45:51,656 --> 00:45:55,565
And though it's not something that we're committing to now, what I would think

970
00:45:55,616 --> 00:45:59,345
might happen is utilizing those funds to do a

971
00:45:59,396 --> 00:46:02,646
feasibility study that once again would not bind us

972
00:46:02,716 --> 00:46:04,596
into anything.

973
00:46:05,996 --> 00:46:06,496
It would

974
00:46:07,776 --> 00:46:11,296
look at each three towns and the goal would be to

975
00:46:12,936 --> 00:46:13,596
look at

976
00:46:15,476 --> 00:46:19,296
could there be scenarios where solar

977
00:46:19,476 --> 00:46:22,516
hubs could be placed within the town,

978
00:46:24,356 --> 00:46:27,226
and they would essentially be doing three things,

979
00:46:28,356 --> 00:46:32,116
if this was something that was ever voted to be moving forward with.

980
00:46:33,156 --> 00:46:36,936
And that would be to save money on

981
00:46:36,956 --> 00:46:37,776
energy costs.

982
00:46:38,836 --> 00:46:42,556
The second would be to create a revenue stream over time

983
00:46:43,216 --> 00:46:45,616
as this proposal would be that

984
00:46:46,815 --> 00:46:49,976
the town would have ownership over time.

985
00:46:50,056 --> 00:46:54,016
I think there would be a phase-in, and that they would

986
00:46:54,076 --> 00:46:57,156
support our critical infrastructure.

987
00:46:57,186 --> 00:47:01,136
And what I mean by that is instead of your basic generator at the police

988
00:47:01,236 --> 00:47:03,856
station, the fire station, council on aging,

989
00:47:04,556 --> 00:47:08,076
if you lost power, these

990
00:47:08,156 --> 00:47:09,496
would power

991
00:47:11,156 --> 00:47:14,736
those buildings or whatever else we would consider

992
00:47:15,016 --> 00:47:16,656
critical infrastructure.

993
00:47:17,576 --> 00:47:21,416
That's what the direction I think we would probably go

994
00:47:21,456 --> 00:47:21,896
towards.

995
00:47:22,716 --> 00:47:24,756
But I don't think we're there yet, and

996
00:47:25,876 --> 00:47:27,476
before anything moves forward

997
00:47:29,156 --> 00:47:30,016
even any further,

998
00:47:31,576 --> 00:47:35,246
if God forbid we go through the process and,

999
00:47:35,656 --> 00:47:39,076
well, I shouldn't say God forbid, could be that we find a very potential

1000
00:47:40,956 --> 00:47:42,996
that this works for Shirley,

1001
00:47:44,896 --> 00:47:47,196
then it would have to go to town meeting.

1002
00:47:47,396 --> 00:47:50,636
Well, it'd have to go through the process of getting on a town meeting warrant, so

1003
00:47:50,656 --> 00:47:54,376
it'd have to go before the select board, et cetera, and then would have to be

1004
00:47:55,076 --> 00:47:58,056
voted on at town meeting. Same thing with funding sources.

1005
00:47:58,136 --> 00:47:58,956
So,

1006
00:47:59,776 --> 00:48:02,266
I just wanted to speak to that because this was

1007
00:48:03,696 --> 00:48:07,056
all great news that we got the grant, but it was moving very fast

1008
00:48:07,736 --> 00:48:10,276
and I do feel comfort that we've

1009
00:48:11,136 --> 00:48:14,956
all agreed to let's just take a step back, look at this, make

1010
00:48:14,996 --> 00:48:18,216
sure everyone's doing their due diligence, and everyone would feel comfortable

1011
00:48:18,756 --> 00:48:19,436
before moving

1012
00:48:20,956 --> 00:48:21,796
further. So,

1013
00:48:23,036 --> 00:48:26,616
no vote to be taken at this point. But I did just want to provide that update

1014
00:48:27,380 --> 00:48:29,240
Did all the three towns have to

1015
00:48:30,200 --> 00:48:33,370
choose the same project, or each of them can differ or change?

1016
00:48:33,400 --> 00:48:36,390
No, I think that would be the whole point of the feasibility study is each

1017
00:48:36,900 --> 00:48:40,220
town is obviously different. It has different

1018
00:48:42,300 --> 00:48:44,300
buildings, different-

1019
00:48:44,900 --> 00:48:45,430
Politics

1020
00:48:45,450 --> 00:48:46,760
... properties, different politics.

1021
00:48:48,400 --> 00:48:49,540
So I think the

1022
00:48:50,640 --> 00:48:54,520
feasibility study would look at all of that and essentially give different

1023
00:48:54,600 --> 00:48:56,240
options and specify

1024
00:48:58,800 --> 00:49:02,520
would there be a financial commitment, and really all the

1025
00:49:02,540 --> 00:49:06,160
details that you could come up with

1026
00:49:06,280 --> 00:49:07,440
100 questions easily

1027
00:49:08,360 --> 00:49:09,260
on projects that are

1028
00:49:10,220 --> 00:49:11,480
of this scale.

1029
00:49:12,720 --> 00:49:16,400
Yeah. It's an interesting topic. I think this will be taking

1030
00:49:16,600 --> 00:49:17,140
years.

1031
00:49:17,820 --> 00:49:21,380
Before we can start using the fund.

1032
00:49:21,880 --> 00:49:23,300
Just to come to an agreement.

1033
00:49:24,320 --> 00:49:24,330
Yeah.

1034
00:49:24,360 --> 00:49:24,960
Probably.

1035
00:49:25,520 --> 00:49:27,060
Say another 20 we'll be there.

1036
00:49:27,380 --> 00:49:28,040
Do they continue,

1037
00:49:28,980 --> 00:49:32,740
potentially exploring additional communities, or did they

1038
00:49:32,840 --> 00:49:33,040
just-

1039
00:49:33,720 --> 00:49:37,350
I think that's also part of this. So the whole idea of getting a-

1040
00:49:38,140 --> 00:49:38,280
Yeah

1041
00:49:38,440 --> 00:49:42,230
... group or consortium of towns is there's

1042
00:49:42,260 --> 00:49:44,120
potential for additional funding.

1043
00:49:44,240 --> 00:49:46,500
So I think it was more attractive

1044
00:49:47,580 --> 00:49:50,260
for the MVP grant to award to three towns-

1045
00:49:50,880 --> 00:49:51,320
Yeah

1046
00:49:51,330 --> 00:49:52,770
... as opposed to if we were

1047
00:49:53,840 --> 00:49:57,340
looking to apply for that same grant as an individual

1048
00:49:57,400 --> 00:49:59,300
town. And so as you

1049
00:50:00,700 --> 00:50:03,170
continue looking at the additional phases,

1050
00:50:04,620 --> 00:50:07,900
which the deeper the phases, the more complex it gets.

1051
00:50:08,900 --> 00:50:12,060
I think the idea would be if you added more towns in the area,

1052
00:50:13,140 --> 00:50:16,250
that might be how you get the funding where it would actually

1053
00:50:17,780 --> 00:50:19,860
make sense for the towns where you--

1054
00:50:21,360 --> 00:50:25,340
The reality is you can't go to any town in the area and say,

1055
00:50:26,120 --> 00:50:27,960
no matter how much the potential

1056
00:50:30,940 --> 00:50:34,110
future revenue, you can't ask for a million

1057
00:50:34,920 --> 00:50:38,840
dollars to fund something. Something like this has to be funded

1058
00:50:38,860 --> 00:50:42,370
through the grant process, in my opinion, at least for the town of Shirley.

1059
00:50:43,420 --> 00:50:45,340
So that's where we're at, and

1060
00:50:47,200 --> 00:50:49,600
we'll provide updates as we continue.

1061
00:50:49,740 --> 00:50:50,380
Stay tuned.

1062
00:50:52,660 --> 00:50:54,800
All right, thank you. We have

1063
00:50:56,420 --> 00:50:59,840
two appointments for the Council of Aging.

1064
00:51:01,040 --> 00:51:05,020
Yeah, I make a motion to appoint Joanne Falcons to the Council

1065
00:51:05,060 --> 00:51:06,440
on Aging kitchen assistant.

1066
00:51:07,800 --> 00:51:08,249
I vote aye.

1067
00:51:10,000 --> 00:51:10,680
Second the motion.

1068
00:51:11,420 --> 00:51:11,500
No,

1069
00:51:12,460 --> 00:51:13,060
I vote aye.

1070
00:51:13,160 --> 00:51:13,450
I vote aye.

1071
00:51:14,320 --> 00:51:15,200
And aye for Diane.

1072
00:51:15,820 --> 00:51:19,280
I also make a motion to appoint Joyce

1073
00:51:19,340 --> 00:51:22,040
Hemingway to the COA kitchen assistant.

1074
00:51:23,780 --> 00:51:24,080
But I se-

1075
00:51:24,700 --> 00:51:25,499
You second the motion?

1076
00:51:25,560 --> 00:51:27,880
I was about to say, I second it.

1077
00:51:27,920 --> 00:51:29,290
I vote aye.

1078
00:51:29,360 --> 00:51:29,780
I vote aye.

1079
00:51:30,140 --> 00:51:30,840
And I vote aye.

1080
00:51:32,060 --> 00:51:35,640
And I make a motion to appoint Jim Iolegio as

1081
00:51:35,900 --> 00:51:37,130
an election worker.

1082
00:51:39,960 --> 00:51:40,350
I vote aye.

1083
00:51:41,160 --> 00:51:44,300
No, I'm sorry. I second it. Sorry. It's been a long day.

1084
00:51:44,820 --> 00:51:45,320
I vote aye.

1085
00:51:45,420 --> 00:51:45,640
Yeah.

1086
00:51:46,680 --> 00:51:47,340
I vote aye.

1087
00:51:47,380 --> 00:51:48,040
And I vote aye.

1088
00:51:49,720 --> 00:51:49,730
Yeah.

1089
00:51:49,730 --> 00:51:53,540
All right. So now we have town administrator report.

1090
00:51:54,240 --> 00:51:58,140
Yep. The first item is Chapter 90 funds and road

1091
00:51:58,180 --> 00:51:58,520
paving.

1092
00:51:59,780 --> 00:52:00,120
So

1093
00:52:01,380 --> 00:52:04,780
we will be doing some paving, probably in the next

1094
00:52:05,120 --> 00:52:05,400
month.

1095
00:52:07,500 --> 00:52:10,900
I did talk to the DPW director. He's been working with

1096
00:52:11,220 --> 00:52:14,540
PJ Halpert, who we've got our contract with, and

1097
00:52:15,240 --> 00:52:16,900
we will be doing so. I

1098
00:52:18,060 --> 00:52:21,220
would wait and defer to the DPW director,

1099
00:52:21,420 --> 00:52:25,190
as the final stage is confirming

1100
00:52:25,190 --> 00:52:28,480
the pricing as even as months pass, it changes, et

1101
00:52:28,500 --> 00:52:31,400
cetera. And so based on the funding that we have,

1102
00:52:32,480 --> 00:52:36,200
exactly where they are. But right now, the roads that we are

1103
00:52:36,800 --> 00:52:40,620
planning on addressing with paving

1104
00:52:41,240 --> 00:52:41,760
would be

1105
00:52:42,960 --> 00:52:46,719
Townsend Road or parts of Townsend Road, parts of Hazen Road, and parts of

1106
00:52:46,820 --> 00:52:47,400
Rotten Road.

1107
00:52:48,240 --> 00:52:48,840
So that's

1108
00:52:50,660 --> 00:52:53,260
what we had planned. As we solidify

1109
00:52:54,580 --> 00:52:58,560
those plans, we'll most likely put it on the website, put it on

1110
00:52:58,600 --> 00:53:01,220
Facebook, and let people know the timing, et cetera.

1111
00:53:02,000 --> 00:53:05,930
We were actually hoping to get some of this paving done earlier in the summer,

1112
00:53:06,260 --> 00:53:10,220
in July. One of the challenges that we have is the

1113
00:53:10,260 --> 00:53:14,000
majority of the funding that we do for road paving is through what's

1114
00:53:14,040 --> 00:53:14,420
called

1115
00:53:15,560 --> 00:53:17,980
Chapter 90 funds, which come directly from the state.

1116
00:53:18,920 --> 00:53:20,220
We have received

1117
00:53:21,740 --> 00:53:25,380
the amount that will be awarded. The

1118
00:53:25,440 --> 00:53:29,330
challenge is the state over the last couple of years has been a little bit later

1119
00:53:29,340 --> 00:53:31,940
and later in releasing those funds.

1120
00:53:32,000 --> 00:53:34,920
And so we were originally hoping to have this done in

1121
00:53:34,960 --> 00:53:37,390
July. I think the funds

1122
00:53:38,460 --> 00:53:39,600
have had a little bit of a lag,

1123
00:53:40,480 --> 00:53:44,320
but that's something that we're gonna be moving forward

1124
00:53:44,360 --> 00:53:45,680
with pretty much in the next month.

1125
00:53:46,020 --> 00:53:49,640
So when I get those final details, I will post that

1126
00:53:49,660 --> 00:53:50,200
publicly.

1127
00:53:51,980 --> 00:53:55,820
The next item, we've talked about it a couple different times, but I

1128
00:53:55,880 --> 00:53:56,460
still will

1129
00:53:57,640 --> 00:53:58,480
refer to Logan,

1130
00:53:59,840 --> 00:54:01,680
who is, in my opinion,

1131
00:54:02,560 --> 00:54:02,960
I

1132
00:54:05,720 --> 00:54:08,540
call him the energy czar, and especially his great work on

1133
00:54:09,400 --> 00:54:10,840
getting this grant.

1134
00:54:11,800 --> 00:54:12,520
Do you wanna give an update?

1135
00:54:12,760 --> 00:54:16,520
Yeah. So they're making really good progress with the projects.

1136
00:54:16,680 --> 00:54:20,480
They basically have completed the LED lighting for town hall.

1137
00:54:20,580 --> 00:54:23,820
I don't know if you notice how bright it is out in the hallways now you can see.

1138
00:54:23,840 --> 00:54:25,940
We might have to paint the walls because you can see them now.

1139
00:54:27,744 --> 00:54:31,644
The only thing they have to do is a few sconces they have to replace still, or not

1140
00:54:31,684 --> 00:54:35,464
replace, but convert, and also replace the

1141
00:54:35,504 --> 00:54:38,264
plastic diffusers that are inside of them.

1142
00:54:39,704 --> 00:54:43,504
And then on Monday, they're doing some electrical work that will

1143
00:54:43,564 --> 00:54:47,044
affect the second floor's power just a little bit in the morning for the new heat

1144
00:54:47,064 --> 00:54:50,284
pump they're putting in for the conference room.

1145
00:54:50,294 --> 00:54:53,834
And they should be doing the conference room sometime next week or the week after.

1146
00:54:53,864 --> 00:54:56,894
There will be a crane in the parking lot probably early in the morning, one of the

1147
00:54:56,984 --> 00:54:57,384
days.

1148
00:54:58,184 --> 00:55:00,964
But everyone will be made aware once we know the exact date for that.

1149
00:55:02,224 --> 00:55:05,984
They've also been doing LED lights at Council on Aging, and they've

1150
00:55:06,004 --> 00:55:08,364
basically finished all of them at the fire station.

1151
00:55:08,524 --> 00:55:11,944
They just have one or two outside lights they got to convert still.

1152
00:55:14,024 --> 00:55:17,564
And then the only other building they still have to work on is the War Memorial

1153
00:55:17,604 --> 00:55:21,224
building. They'll be putting a few heat pumps in there, and then we'll be

1154
00:55:21,284 --> 00:55:25,184
finishing off the heat pump project in that building in the next round that we'll

1155
00:55:25,204 --> 00:55:28,814
apply for, and we'll try to do the HVAC systems for the rest of the town buildings,

1156
00:55:28,904 --> 00:55:31,583
or as many as we can under the 250 grand.

1157
00:55:32,663 --> 00:55:34,024
So, it's going very well.

1158
00:55:34,084 --> 00:55:34,394
Sounds good.

1159
00:55:34,394 --> 00:55:34,744
Great job.

1160
00:55:36,104 --> 00:55:39,524
All right. The next item we have is the Shirley Village roadway improvements

1161
00:55:39,644 --> 00:55:43,474
update. As we know, this was a $306,000

1162
00:55:44,024 --> 00:55:47,384
grant that we received after the passage of the

1163
00:55:47,704 --> 00:55:51,444
Catalyst grant. And this is, as it sounds,

1164
00:55:52,504 --> 00:55:54,684
looking to identify,

1165
00:55:55,984 --> 00:55:59,824
make recommendations, and then ultimately have engineered plans

1166
00:55:59,884 --> 00:56:02,344
for roadway improvements in the Shirley Village.

1167
00:56:03,024 --> 00:56:06,964
And so in the summer, and I know I discussed this at a meeting,

1168
00:56:07,784 --> 00:56:08,944
if it looked like you saw

1169
00:56:10,104 --> 00:56:12,784
people that were counting

1170
00:56:14,004 --> 00:56:17,824
your turns on kind of that Front Street

1171
00:56:17,884 --> 00:56:21,564
and up to Lancaster Road, and at all different intersections,

1172
00:56:22,164 --> 00:56:25,724
and you were driving over car counters and all

1173
00:56:25,764 --> 00:56:26,674
those things that

1174
00:56:27,964 --> 00:56:31,934
can even measure your speed and how many axles your vehicle has, well, that was all

1175
00:56:31,964 --> 00:56:35,624
part of the study. And in the last month, if you saw a group of

1176
00:56:35,684 --> 00:56:38,004
about 15 people walking up and down,

1177
00:56:39,424 --> 00:56:40,164
that was

1178
00:56:41,024 --> 00:56:44,984
a whole group that we had put together to walk the area and

1179
00:56:45,024 --> 00:56:48,804
go over some of the findings a little bit more in more detail, answer

1180
00:56:48,904 --> 00:56:52,104
questions. And so there were some members

1181
00:56:52,844 --> 00:56:55,264
from the working group that

1182
00:56:56,184 --> 00:56:58,284
had been assigned to monitor this grant.

1183
00:56:59,144 --> 00:57:02,744
There was members of the fire department, the police department, some members of

1184
00:57:02,824 --> 00:57:03,264
STAC,

1185
00:57:04,084 --> 00:57:07,084
the engineering firm that we had hired.

1186
00:57:07,804 --> 00:57:11,714
And so, making a lot of progress and I'm excited about

1187
00:57:13,324 --> 00:57:16,754
really once we start getting results and making

1188
00:57:16,804 --> 00:57:17,534
decisions,

1189
00:57:18,484 --> 00:57:19,644
I think it's going to be great for the

1190
00:57:20,604 --> 00:57:21,724
downtown village area.

1191
00:57:23,404 --> 00:57:26,744
Speaking of the downtown village area and

1192
00:57:26,824 --> 00:57:28,984
walking the whole length of the downtown,

1193
00:57:30,304 --> 00:57:33,764
obviously most people are very well aware,

1194
00:57:35,244 --> 00:57:38,484
one of the main initiatives of Deb Flagg has always

1195
00:57:38,544 --> 00:57:42,504
been the MBTA and continued maintenance,

1196
00:57:42,584 --> 00:57:43,204
not just--

1197
00:57:44,704 --> 00:57:47,924
When I say maintenance, I don't just mean mowing in the summer and plowing in the

1198
00:57:47,944 --> 00:57:51,524
winter, but really trying to get things cleaned up.

1199
00:57:52,184 --> 00:57:55,404
We've made a lot of progress. We continue to make that progress.

1200
00:57:55,424 --> 00:57:57,364
But one of the things that we found very helpful

1201
00:57:58,724 --> 00:57:59,104
was

1202
00:58:00,144 --> 00:58:00,444
that

1203
00:58:01,324 --> 00:58:03,514
you would assume that it's very simple,

1204
00:58:04,464 --> 00:58:04,704
that

1205
00:58:05,704 --> 00:58:09,404
you have a track, it must be maybe, what, 10 feet on each side or

1206
00:58:09,424 --> 00:58:13,384
15 feet on each side, and that must be the MBTA's right

1207
00:58:13,444 --> 00:58:17,404
away, and everything else must be the town or the abutting property.

1208
00:58:18,184 --> 00:58:21,824
Well, it is absolutely not that simple in any way, shape, or form,

1209
00:58:22,284 --> 00:58:23,484
and the boundary lines

1210
00:58:24,664 --> 00:58:28,544
expand and contract significantly on multiple sections.

1211
00:58:28,584 --> 00:58:30,884
And so one thing that we had asked was,

1212
00:58:32,044 --> 00:58:35,964
a member that, or a resident that just contributes

1213
00:58:36,024 --> 00:58:39,404
so much to this town, a retired engineer, but he

1214
00:58:39,444 --> 00:58:42,634
dabbles almost professionally in so many

1215
00:58:42,664 --> 00:58:45,104
different scenarios such as

1216
00:58:46,284 --> 00:58:49,804
surveying the amount of, I guess,

1217
00:58:50,564 --> 00:58:54,154
he calls himself not a professional because I guess he's not licensed, but he's got

1218
00:58:54,164 --> 00:58:56,004
to be the closest thing to a professional surveyor.

1219
00:58:57,704 --> 00:59:00,364
And he took the time on a very hot day to

1220
00:59:00,404 --> 00:59:03,954
walk from the town offices all the

1221
00:59:04,044 --> 00:59:07,924
way to the Davis Street crossing. Well, actually a little bit

1222
00:59:08,024 --> 00:59:08,584
past that,

1223
00:59:09,944 --> 00:59:13,904
where we surveyed the entire-- We were able to

1224
00:59:13,964 --> 00:59:16,144
actually find the pins or the granite posts.

1225
00:59:17,584 --> 00:59:19,244
The property lines, we were able to measure them.

1226
00:59:19,324 --> 00:59:20,024
We were able to-

1227
00:59:21,664 --> 00:59:21,844
Spray

1228
00:59:21,984 --> 00:59:22,524
... spray them,

1229
00:59:23,424 --> 00:59:26,884
mark them with a little-- It was actually, it almost felt like a field trip.

1230
00:59:27,644 --> 00:59:28,984
A very long one, a very hot one.

1231
00:59:30,684 --> 00:59:33,844
And we were able to identify what those property lines are.

1232
00:59:34,364 --> 00:59:38,324
And so if there's a dispute where there has been in the past of,

1233
00:59:38,384 --> 00:59:41,894
"Well, that's not ours to maintain," we can say definitively,

1234
00:59:42,924 --> 00:59:46,304
"Those are," and we went deed by deed.

1235
00:59:47,084 --> 00:59:49,884
That's the amount of research Ward Baxter has done.

1236
00:59:51,084 --> 00:59:54,084
Ward Baxter is just, I can't tell you how

1237
00:59:55,044 --> 00:59:58,924
much he contributes to the town and how thankful we are for

1238
00:59:59,984 --> 01:00:00,784
all of his work.

1239
01:00:02,384 --> 01:00:04,084
So just wanted to provide that update.

1240
01:00:04,664 --> 01:00:06,144
Deb, I don't know if you have anything to add.

1241
01:00:06,504 --> 01:00:07,444
Well, I think

1242
01:00:09,024 --> 01:00:12,944
what people don't realize, other than the fact I bug you on a daily

1243
01:00:12,984 --> 01:00:16,564
basis to call your part of the railroad,

1244
01:00:17,374 --> 01:00:20,504
I have a little friend that I've become quite friendly with.

1245
01:00:21,924 --> 01:00:25,894
I chase down the Kiolis people. They see my black car coming, and they

1246
01:00:25,964 --> 01:00:26,904
all want to take off.

1247
01:00:27,904 --> 01:00:31,544
And if nobody has realized that the Walker

1248
01:00:31,664 --> 01:00:34,344
Road has finally been cleared, cleaned.

1249
01:00:34,464 --> 01:00:36,644
It was a disaster, okay?

1250
01:00:37,754 --> 01:00:39,154
Finally, from

1251
01:00:41,274 --> 01:00:43,014
Benjamin Road crossing

1252
01:00:43,854 --> 01:00:45,054
all the way to

1253
01:00:46,674 --> 01:00:47,714
where the Phoenix is-

1254
01:00:47,874 --> 01:00:49,054
Davis Street

1255
01:00:49,254 --> 01:00:49,774
... Davis Street crossing,

1256
01:00:51,044 --> 01:00:52,664
they have taken care of,

1257
01:00:53,793 --> 01:00:57,514
for the first time in my lifetime, they send a crew

1258
01:00:57,614 --> 01:01:00,294
out, and they have weed whacked all the way down.

1259
01:01:01,434 --> 01:01:02,114
That takes

1260
01:01:03,574 --> 01:01:06,374
the burden off of myself,

1261
01:01:07,234 --> 01:01:09,794
or it takes the burden off IDPW.

1262
01:01:10,634 --> 01:01:13,714
They can do things that need to get done, like the roads.

1263
01:01:14,814 --> 01:01:17,683
And if you notice, it's done,

1264
01:01:18,584 --> 01:01:22,154
but they have to realize, and I have to teach them, that it grows back.

1265
01:01:22,374 --> 01:01:25,234
You have to come back. It's not gone for life. Okay?

1266
01:01:26,214 --> 01:01:27,024
But everything,

1267
01:01:28,074 --> 01:01:31,824
the other day, for instance, on the island across from

1268
01:01:31,954 --> 01:01:33,074
the flagpole,

1269
01:01:34,394 --> 01:01:37,894
they did it again. They came out, and they cut the

1270
01:01:37,934 --> 01:01:41,394
trees and they left all the branches there.

1271
01:01:42,494 --> 01:01:44,374
Who do you think picked it up? The DPW.

1272
01:01:45,174 --> 01:01:47,534
So I'm fighting with them on a daily basis.

1273
01:01:48,054 --> 01:01:48,954
I will get

1274
01:01:49,974 --> 01:01:51,774
from Walker Road all the way

1275
01:01:52,814 --> 01:01:54,634
that way done

1276
01:01:56,574 --> 01:01:56,814
this

1277
01:01:57,754 --> 01:02:00,554
in my last three years, which is right now.

1278
01:02:02,694 --> 01:02:04,474
It'll be done. And

1279
01:02:05,614 --> 01:02:07,704
I was shocked to find out that

1280
01:02:08,694 --> 01:02:10,334
where the people park for the trains-

1281
01:02:10,614 --> 01:02:10,774
Yeah

1282
01:02:11,694 --> 01:02:14,934
... we don't own much of that. That's all

1283
01:02:15,654 --> 01:02:17,354
the train's property. And we're

1284
01:02:19,374 --> 01:02:22,554
plowing it, and we're weed whacking it, and we're...

1285
01:02:24,714 --> 01:02:26,354
And that goes all the way down.

1286
01:02:27,674 --> 01:02:31,494
I knew that because we did that walk a few

1287
01:02:31,534 --> 01:02:34,374
years ago, but it's amazing.

1288
01:02:35,674 --> 01:02:36,034
I'm

1289
01:02:37,254 --> 01:02:39,154
trying to keep IDPW

1290
01:02:39,954 --> 01:02:42,904
doing the work that has to be done. The four of them,

1291
01:02:44,074 --> 01:02:45,834
I'm so sick of hearing about the roads.

1292
01:02:46,794 --> 01:02:46,994
Yeah.

1293
01:02:48,113 --> 01:02:50,204
So we are making progress.

1294
01:02:52,614 --> 01:02:52,934
All right.

1295
01:02:54,494 --> 01:02:58,154
Next item is the school needs assessment study, RFP.

1296
01:02:59,494 --> 01:03:03,174
So there's been a lot of

1297
01:03:03,554 --> 01:03:07,334
discussion, a lot of news about Devens over the last few

1298
01:03:07,414 --> 01:03:08,074
years, and

1299
01:03:09,054 --> 01:03:10,274
there's a lot of different

1300
01:03:11,934 --> 01:03:15,864
parts to that. And so myself, I've

1301
01:03:15,914 --> 01:03:18,274
been part of multiple different groups.

1302
01:03:19,074 --> 01:03:22,954
Some have been the Devens Jurisdiction Framework Committee, which I've been

1303
01:03:23,014 --> 01:03:26,494
on for quite some time, about what will be the final

1304
01:03:26,514 --> 01:03:28,334
disposition and jurisdiction of Devens.

1305
01:03:29,254 --> 01:03:33,194
But then there's been some other either working groups or committees

1306
01:03:33,754 --> 01:03:34,714
based on,

1307
01:03:36,914 --> 01:03:40,374
especially Devens and the current governor's

1308
01:03:40,414 --> 01:03:41,114
administration

1309
01:03:41,954 --> 01:03:45,854
having an initiative of really trying to create some housing

1310
01:03:46,514 --> 01:03:49,644
and looking at Devens as something with great

1311
01:03:49,694 --> 01:03:51,234
potential. And so,

1312
01:03:53,434 --> 01:03:56,274
the housing cap, where there was a housing cap

1313
01:03:56,314 --> 01:04:00,174
previously on Devens, has been lifted, and there's been

1314
01:04:00,214 --> 01:04:02,014
some significant, or

1315
01:04:03,374 --> 01:04:05,004
there's going to be very shortly,

1316
01:04:06,334 --> 01:04:09,854
some significant development on areas that were already

1317
01:04:11,034 --> 01:04:11,374
zoned as

1318
01:04:12,274 --> 01:04:12,854
residential.

1319
01:04:13,714 --> 01:04:17,474
I think there's going to be a lot more talk about perhaps

1320
01:04:17,554 --> 01:04:19,694
rezoning certain areas of Devens,

1321
01:04:21,134 --> 01:04:23,254
and rezoning them for residential.

1322
01:04:24,014 --> 01:04:27,084
And so because of all this, we, the

1323
01:04:28,314 --> 01:04:32,304
three towns, the Devens Enterprise Commission, Mass Development,

1324
01:04:32,784 --> 01:04:35,234
and residents and representatives from Devens,

1325
01:04:37,054 --> 01:04:40,874
were able to get a grant. And really what it is, is

1326
01:04:40,914 --> 01:04:42,114
it's to do a

1327
01:04:43,514 --> 01:04:46,934
school needs assessment for all the

1328
01:04:46,974 --> 01:04:50,454
schools that are essentially

1329
01:04:50,534 --> 01:04:51,894
here as far as

1330
01:04:53,074 --> 01:04:54,134
the Ayer Shirley region

1331
01:04:55,194 --> 01:04:55,654
and

1332
01:04:56,854 --> 01:04:59,974
the Bromfield schools, and even

1333
01:05:00,374 --> 01:05:03,274
considering to a lesser extent, but even

1334
01:05:03,314 --> 01:05:07,114
Parker Charter as it is on

1335
01:05:07,174 --> 01:05:07,534
Devens.

1336
01:05:08,394 --> 01:05:11,934
Now, the whole intent of this study is to just give us

1337
01:05:12,014 --> 01:05:15,174
information and basic facts. It's not to give

1338
01:05:15,214 --> 01:05:18,974
recommendations where the recommendations are Devens

1339
01:05:19,094 --> 01:05:22,494
students go to a certain either region or

1340
01:05:23,434 --> 01:05:26,584
school. It's not to say schools should

1341
01:05:28,314 --> 01:05:31,244
merge, or it's not to say

1342
01:05:31,794 --> 01:05:32,614
that

1343
01:05:33,714 --> 01:05:36,034
a certain school should be

1344
01:05:37,594 --> 01:05:41,434
rebuilt or renovated. It's to give just basic facts

1345
01:05:41,534 --> 01:05:43,614
of these are how many students we

1346
01:05:44,614 --> 01:05:47,694
expect in the area within this amount of time.

1347
01:05:48,294 --> 01:05:50,034
This is what we expect the

1348
01:05:52,414 --> 01:05:55,974
school's capacity would be at. This is what I would

1349
01:05:56,014 --> 01:05:59,794
deem as perhaps 10 years such and

1350
01:05:59,874 --> 01:06:02,294
such building may need to be addressed in this manner.

1351
01:06:03,354 --> 01:06:06,714
So it's really just giving basic facts, and with those,

1352
01:06:07,274 --> 01:06:10,994
all the people that are stakeholders in that group can then make their own

1353
01:06:11,034 --> 01:06:12,774
decisions. And so,

1354
01:06:13,794 --> 01:06:16,014
we had put out an RFP, request for proposal.

1355
01:06:16,854 --> 01:06:20,774
We received responses. We're reviewing those responses, and we'll

1356
01:06:20,814 --> 01:06:23,974
be moving forward, I'm sure, the next few weeks.

1357
01:06:24,674 --> 01:06:28,154
But that's kind of where we're at, and I think that there's going to be a lot more

1358
01:06:29,554 --> 01:06:31,714
agenda items in the future regarding Devens.

1359
01:06:31,874 --> 01:06:32,424
I think it's

1360
01:06:34,314 --> 01:06:35,294
going to be something that,

1361
01:06:36,114 --> 01:06:39,994
especially being one of the three towns made up of historic boundaries,

1362
01:06:40,354 --> 01:06:41,794
I think we're going to be involved quite a bit

1363
01:06:44,434 --> 01:06:47,754
And the final item, which we've had on the agenda

1364
01:06:48,334 --> 01:06:52,214
quite some time, is there is a vacancy with the Nashoba Valley Technical High

1365
01:06:52,314 --> 01:06:54,974
School, school committee membership.

1366
01:06:55,454 --> 01:06:57,994
If anyone is interested, please let us know.

1367
01:06:59,834 --> 01:07:00,854
All right. Thank you.

1368
01:07:03,734 --> 01:07:04,614
Next item is

1369
01:07:05,694 --> 01:07:07,014
select board member comments.

1370
01:07:07,854 --> 01:07:08,414
Awesome.

1371
01:07:09,214 --> 01:07:09,454
None.

1372
01:07:09,834 --> 01:07:10,174
All right.

1373
01:07:11,454 --> 01:07:13,754
Next is public comments.

1374
01:07:16,134 --> 01:07:17,114
Next is approval

1375
01:07:18,914 --> 01:07:20,214
of treasure warrants.

1376
01:07:22,594 --> 01:07:23,134
Okay.

1377
01:07:24,914 --> 01:07:26,474
I make a motion to accept warrants

1378
01:07:26,814 --> 01:07:29,894
W27-2 in the amount of

1379
01:07:29,903 --> 01:07:31,744
$8,585.

1380
01:07:33,234 --> 01:07:34,274
I second.

1381
01:07:36,194 --> 01:07:36,874
I vote aye.

1382
01:07:37,694 --> 01:07:38,254
I vote aye.

1383
01:07:39,734 --> 01:07:40,394
And I vote aye.

1384
01:07:41,874 --> 01:07:42,234
Next.

1385
01:07:43,094 --> 01:07:44,834
I make a motion to accept warrant

1386
01:07:45,134 --> 01:07:48,074
W27-3 in the amount of

1387
01:07:48,154 --> 01:07:51,734
$7,839.59.

1388
01:07:53,614 --> 01:07:54,754
Ryan, you have to second it.

1389
01:07:55,234 --> 01:07:55,914
I second it.

1390
01:07:56,234 --> 01:07:57,613
I vote aye.

1391
01:07:57,674 --> 01:07:58,354
I vote aye.

1392
01:07:58,394 --> 01:07:59,434
And I vote aye.

1393
01:08:00,434 --> 01:08:03,784
She was going to second it till the last time, and then she seconded it.

1394
01:08:03,814 --> 01:08:04,754
No, but you're the second.

1395
01:08:05,154 --> 01:08:05,794
I thought so.

1396
01:08:06,634 --> 01:08:09,274
Confused me there again, so there we go.

1397
01:08:09,334 --> 01:08:11,024
Make a motion to accept warrant

1398
01:08:11,134 --> 01:08:15,834
PRW27-3

1399
01:08:15,934 --> 01:08:16,775
in the amount of

1400
01:08:16,794 --> 01:08:20,594
$180,878.07.

1401
01:08:21,534 --> 01:08:22,174
I second it.

1402
01:08:22,894 --> 01:08:24,674
I vote aye.

1403
01:08:24,815 --> 01:08:25,574
I vote aye.

1404
01:08:25,614 --> 01:08:26,214
And I vote aye.

1405
01:08:26,674 --> 01:08:30,374
I make a motion to approve warrant WR...

1406
01:08:31,034 --> 01:08:34,954
Why did I say W? PRW27-4 in the amount

1407
01:08:35,034 --> 01:08:35,195
of

1408
01:08:35,235 --> 01:08:41,434
$189,637.49.

1409
01:08:42,235 --> 01:08:42,735
I second.

1410
01:08:43,074 --> 01:08:43,714
I vote aye.

1411
01:08:43,754 --> 01:08:44,195
I vote aye.

1412
01:08:44,384 --> 01:08:44,914
And I vote aye.

1413
01:08:45,534 --> 01:08:48,954
I make a motion to approve warrant

1414
01:08:49,454 --> 01:08:51,474
W27-2 in the amount of

1415
01:08:51,974 --> 01:08:55,775
$494,813.95.

1416
01:08:56,394 --> 01:08:57,034
I second that.

1417
01:08:57,414 --> 01:08:58,034
I vote aye.

1418
01:08:58,114 --> 01:08:58,994
I vote aye.

1419
01:08:59,034 --> 01:08:59,794
And I vote aye.

1420
01:08:59,834 --> 01:09:03,815
I make a motion to approve W27-2 in

1421
01:09:03,834 --> 01:09:04,235
the amount of

1422
01:09:04,254 --> 01:09:09,374
$1,115,417.11.

1423
01:09:10,134 --> 01:09:10,754
I second it.

1424
01:09:11,235 --> 01:09:11,674
I vote aye.

1425
01:09:11,894 --> 01:09:12,334
I vote aye.

1426
01:09:12,784 --> 01:09:13,554
And I vote aye.

1427
01:09:13,634 --> 01:09:15,275
I make a motion to approve

1428
01:09:15,695 --> 01:09:18,025
W27-2,

1429
01:09:19,094 --> 01:09:21,434
Ashley Regional School District, August

1430
01:09:21,514 --> 01:09:25,374
$931,364.92.

1431
01:09:25,934 --> 01:09:26,474
I second it.

1432
01:09:26,735 --> 01:09:27,195
I vote aye.

1433
01:09:27,954 --> 01:09:28,355
I vote aye.

1434
01:09:28,594 --> 01:09:29,195
And I vote aye.

1435
01:09:29,534 --> 01:09:30,775
I make a motion to approve

1436
01:09:31,254 --> 01:09:34,235
PRW27-2 in the amount of

1437
01:09:34,714 --> 01:09:38,994
$173,975.74.

1438
01:09:39,614 --> 01:09:40,674
I second the motion.

1439
01:09:40,754 --> 01:09:42,014
I vote aye.

1440
01:09:42,043 --> 01:09:42,043
I vote aye.

1441
01:09:42,054 --> 01:09:42,754
And I vote aye.

1442
01:09:43,034 --> 01:09:44,634
And I make a motion to approve

1443
01:09:45,034 --> 01:09:48,034
PRW27-1 in the amount of

1444
01:09:48,434 --> 01:09:51,974
$144,380.55.

1445
01:09:52,494 --> 01:09:53,294
I second the motion.

1446
01:09:53,794 --> 01:09:54,614
I vote aye.

1447
01:09:54,674 --> 01:09:55,094
I vote aye.

1448
01:09:55,614 --> 01:09:56,234
And I vote aye.

1449
01:09:58,314 --> 01:10:01,274
And next we have approval meeting minutes of

1450
01:10:02,654 --> 01:10:04,094
June 8, 2026.

1451
01:10:04,594 --> 01:10:06,554
I make a motion to accept the

1452
01:10:07,634 --> 01:10:10,434
meeting minutes of June 8, 2026.

1453
01:10:10,794 --> 01:10:11,534
I second the motion.

1454
01:10:11,614 --> 01:10:12,194
I vote aye.

1455
01:10:12,274 --> 01:10:12,644
I vote aye.

1456
01:10:13,834 --> 01:10:14,594
And I vote aye.

1457
01:10:15,494 --> 01:10:17,674
Do we have a motion to adjourn?

1458
01:10:18,134 --> 01:10:18,654
Sure do.

1459
01:10:19,834 --> 01:10:22,654
I make a motion to adjourn at seven o'clock.

1460
01:10:22,914 --> 01:10:23,734
I second the motion.

1461
01:10:25,294 --> 01:10:25,704
I vote aye.

1462
01:10:25,704 --> 01:10:25,994
I vote aye.

1463
01:10:26,034 --> 01:10:27,394
And I vote aye. Thank you.