[0:22] Time being 900 a.m. on Saturday, May 20

[0:25] May 9th, 2026. I'll call this annual

[0:28] town meeting to order. Good morning and

[0:32] welcome to the 2026 annual town meeting.

[0:36] My name is Jim Salvi, 74 West Actton

[0:39] Road. I'm the town moderator and I'll be

[0:41] presiding over today's meeting.

[0:44] As you know, town meeting is where town

[0:47] the is where the town gathers as a

[0:49] legislature to govern its affairs, to

[0:52] appropriate funds, enact bylaws, and

[0:54] accomplish other tasks. Generally

[0:57] speaking, any resident who wishes to

[0:59] speak on a subject relevant to the

[1:01] meeting may do so, but may have to wait

[1:04] for the appropriate time. And to

[1:06] encourage participation, no one can

[1:08] monopolize the floor. But before I get

[1:11] into some of the particular procedures

[1:13] governing this meeting, let's keep in

[1:16] mind some of the simpler rules.

[1:19] Food, water, and drinks are okay here in

[1:22] the whatever we call this

[1:24] cathogimatorium.

[1:27] Smoking is not smoking is not permitted

[1:29] on anywhere on school grounds.

[1:32] Please turn off or mute your cell

[1:34] phones. And please pack out your trash

[1:37] when you leave. We don't have janitors

[1:39] on duty. We're relying on you to take

[1:41] your trash out with you.

[1:43] Let's spend a minute talking about our

[1:46] most important function today, which is

[1:48] voting.

[1:50] So many, but not all of our votes today,

[1:54] we'll be using the electronic clickers.

[1:57] The buttons labeled yes and no and one

[2:00] or 1 A and 2B are the ones that you'll

[2:03] use to vote yes or no on the motions.

[2:06] The button mark 3C

[2:09] also works and you use that to register

[2:12] an abstension,

[2:14] not a vote. It just lets us know that

[2:16] the clickers are working.

[2:19] Those are the only buttons that should

[2:21] be working on the clickers today.

[2:24] When your vote is recorded, the clicker

[2:26] will confirm your vote with a one or a

[2:29] two or a three in the LCD window and

[2:33] there'll be a little okay on the left

[2:35] side of that window. Look for that okay.

[2:39] That is the only way that you know that

[2:41] you voted. I do see people voting like

[2:44] this, like they're sitting on the couch

[2:46] changing channels. I see some people

[2:50] stunning people with a phaser like that.

[2:53] You're not going to see the okay if you

[2:55] vote like that. Um, I will tell you for

[2:59] how long the voting window is open. The

[3:02] last button that you press during that

[3:05] voting window is the vote that will be

[3:07] recorded. So, you can make a mistake or

[3:10] change your mind during the voting

[3:12] window and that'll be okay. If you have

[3:15] any troubles with the clickers, please

[3:17] go to one of our checkers and they will

[3:19] help you out.

[3:21] The clickers will work in this entire

[3:23] room. They will not work outside. And

[3:26] don't count on them working anywhere

[3:28] else in the school. On votes that

[3:32] require only a simple majority and that

[3:35] I don't think will be controversial, I

[3:37] may call for the use of our

[3:39] old-fashioned cards. You know how to use

[3:41] these. You just hold them up to vote. If a vote is closer than I

[3:45] anticipated it being, I will still make

[3:48] the call whether it passes or not. But

[3:51] my call can be challenged by seven

[3:53] voters standing. And if that happens,

[3:56] we'll just take another vote using the

[3:58] clickers.

[4:03] Let me introduce the folks up here on

[4:05] the stage with me. I have Town Clerk

[4:07] Linda Hathaway. Assistant Town Clerk Deb

[4:10] Scythe is over by the checkers.

[4:13] Town Council Robin Stein. And making his

[4:17] town meeting debut is Zack Kennedy, our

[4:20] IT director running the Clicker

[4:22] software.

[4:23] We will need a deputy moderator for

[4:26] those articles where I'll need to take a

[4:28] break or I can't preside. The charter

[4:31] says that the deputy moderator is

[4:33] nominated by the moderator, but town

[4:35] meeting gets to vote on that nomination.

[4:38] and let's also use that as a chance to

[4:40] test our clickers.

[4:42] So, I nominate Lisa Lvina of Gleondale

[4:45] Road to be deputy moderator. I don't

[4:48] think that needs a second, but I'd like

[4:49] to get one anyway.

[4:51] >> Thank you. Uh, this requires a simple

[4:54] majority. As I said, we're using our

[4:56] clickers. You already, Zach? Yes. Uh,

[4:59] voting will be open for 15 seconds

[5:03] beginning now.

[5:07] Sure.

[5:09] >> Voting's open. [clears throat]

[5:14] » And I would appreciate it when I call

[5:16] for the vote if those of you in the back

[5:19] could tell me whether or not you get the

[5:20] okay in your LCD window. Just give me a

[5:23] thumbs up or a thumbs down. I'm getting

[5:24] thumbs ups. That's a good sign.

[5:28] All right. And voting is closed.

[5:31] >> Pardon?

[5:34] I can't

[5:35] >> thumbs down. You might need to click.

[5:37] >> I think we saw one thumbs down. You

[5:40] might need to go

[5:43] talk to somebody about the clickers. And

[5:45] by a vote of 87 to one, an absolute

[5:49] landslide and one abstension, Lisa Lvina

[5:53] is elected deputy moderator

[6:02] on the floor in front of me. And facing

[6:04] you

[6:06] is the select board and our town

[6:08] administrator, board chair Megan Burch

[6:10] Mcichael,

[6:12] members JT Tulle, Hector Constanzos,

[6:15] Ingaborg Hegaman, and Dan Peterson, and

[6:19] of course, our town administrator Denise

[6:21] Demkowski.

[6:25] Your warrant contains recommendations

[6:27] from the finance committee. The finance

[6:30] committee is an independent committee

[6:32] established by charter to review all

[6:34] articles and to make recommendations.

[6:36] They are seated in the audience. I'd

[6:38] appreciate if they raise their hands

[6:39] when I say their names. Chair Brian

[6:41] Pachudo, members Tom Farnsworth, Jeff

[6:45] Kimmelman, Ross Perry, Angela Zang, and

[6:48] associate member John Mulroy. And we'll

[6:51] also be hearing from the capital

[6:53] planning committee with recommendations

[6:54] on capital items. They're also seated in

[6:57] the audience. Chair Steve Gelanick,

[7:00] David Arsenal, Ed Duca, Brian Pudo from

[7:04] the Fincom, Select Board Member JT

[7:07] Tulle, and associate members Missy Reid

[7:10] and Steven Seagull.

[7:12] And while I'm introducing people, if

[7:14] he's here, let's all say hello to Ricky

[7:17] Seirway, our new library director. Is

[7:20] Ricky here? Ricky, please stand up.

[7:24] [applause]

[7:28] As we do with all new library directors,

[7:30] we built them a brand new library

[7:33] [laughter]

[7:35] which had its grand opening yesterday

[7:38] and the whole thing is now open to the

[7:40] public. It really is very beautiful and

[7:42] if you haven't had a chance yet, please

[7:44] stop by and take a look at it.

[7:49] My favorite slide.

[7:51] Persons who live out of town do not have

[7:54] a right to address town meeting, but

[7:56] they can do so if town meeting votes to

[7:58] allow them to speak. Town meeting time

[8:01] used to refer to such people as

[8:03] strangers, thus reflecting the inherent

[8:06] suspicion with which we should regard

[8:08] these people.

[8:10] On the slide in front of you are the

[8:12] various strangers who we may want to

[8:14] hear from today during this meeting.

[8:16] mostly town, actually all of them, town

[8:19] employees, uh, school employees, and

[8:21] town council.

[8:23] Can I have a motion to allow these

[8:25] strangers to address us?

[8:28] >> And do I have a second?

[8:30] >> Motion made second to allow the

[8:31] strangers to address us.

[8:35] >> Point of order. Yes.

[8:38] >> Ricky's name.

[8:40] >> I'm sorry. I can't

[8:43] >> He will not. As far as we know, he will

[8:45] not be addressing the meeting. And if he does, you don't have to be sorry.

[8:49] And if he does, then we'll take a vote

[8:50] then.

[8:51] >> Thank you.

[8:52] >> Sure. Thank you. Uh we'll be using our

[8:55] cards. This requires a simple majority.

[8:57] All those in favor, please signify by

[8:59] holding up your cards. Thank you. And

[9:02] those opposed. Thank you. I'll call that

[9:04] vote unanimous.

[9:09] Nice use of a point of order, by the

[9:11] way. Um, points of order are used for if

[9:14] you think the person uh speaking isn't

[9:16] entitled to speak, the thing they're

[9:18] saying isn't relevant, um,

[9:24] or we should be talking about something

[9:25] else.

[9:27] So, that takes care of my housekeeping

[9:29] rules. Let's talk about the ground rules

[9:32] for the meeting. What you will be voting

[9:35] on will be the main motions under each

[9:38] article which will usually be made by a

[9:40] select board member. On the citizens

[9:43] petitions, the motions will be made by

[9:45] one of the sponsors of the petitions.

[9:48] These motions are allowed to differ a

[9:50] little bit from the language that's in

[9:52] the warrant. The warrant is really just

[9:54] a warning or notice to the residents of

[9:57] what might be voted on at this meeting.

[10:00] I do not expect any of the motions that

[10:02] we'll be taking up today to vary from

[10:04] the warrant, at least not significantly,

[10:06] and if they do, the variations will be

[10:08] explained. In any event, the all the

[10:11] motions except the ones on the petition

[10:13] articles will be displayed on the slide

[10:16] in front of you. Please pay attention to

[10:18] the language of the motion and not

[10:20] necessarily the warrant article. Our

[10:24] debate is governed by a procedural

[10:26] manual called town meeting time which is

[10:29] found in the library and also by bylaws

[10:32] and traditions of town meeting. Over

[10:35] time the moderators of Stowe have

[10:37] compiled a 16page handbook that

[10:40] summarizes some uh most of the important

[10:44] rules. It is available on the town's

[10:46] website under the moderators page. There

[10:49] are also 10 reference copies over by the

[10:52] checkers if you'd like to look at one

[10:55] and check out some of the rules. So, I

[10:57] am going to cover some of the highlights

[10:59] of the rules here, but this is by no

[11:01] means an exhaustive list. One of the

[11:04] most important rules, no cheering,

[11:07] booing, or other verbal outbursts,

[11:09] except as I may direct or ask for to

[11:12] recognize accomplishments. Cheering and

[11:15] booing really do discourage people from

[11:18] offering opinions that are perceived as

[11:21] being unpopular and we just can't have

[11:23] that.

[11:25] No one speaks unless being unless

[11:28] recognized but the mo by the moderator.

[11:30] But being recognized by the moderator is

[11:32] pretty easy. You just go to the

[11:34] microphone and you wait your turn. It is

[11:37] tradition to say your name and at least

[11:39] your street. And if you don't do that,

[11:42] your fellow residents will probably

[11:44] remind you. Please address all your

[11:46] remarks to me, not to anyone else, by

[11:50] starting with Mr. Moderator or Madame

[11:52] Moderator. If Lisa is in the chair,

[11:57] we do have a time limit of two minutes

[11:59] per question or comment. Two minutes is

[12:02] a long time. It is the average length of

[12:05] an entire traffic light circle from red

[12:07] to green to yellow and back to red. So,

[12:10] if you have ever sat at a red light and

[12:12] complained about how long you have been

[12:13] sitting there, you have even longer than

[12:15] that to make your comments here at town

[12:18] meeting. Speakers can have one follow-up

[12:21] question of up to one minute after they

[12:24] receive a response. A very short

[12:27] statement like, "So, you didn't consider

[12:29] that." That's legitimate thing to say,

[12:31] but that's going to count as your one

[12:33] followup. So, use it wisely.

[12:37] Repeated questioning until you receive

[12:39] an answer that you think is satisfactory

[12:41] will not be allowed. If you receive an

[12:44] answer to your question that you don't

[12:46] think is responsive, you can use your

[12:48] followup to ask it again. Or you can

[12:51] highlight that fact by saying, "I don't

[12:54] think that answered my question, but

[12:55] thank you."

[12:57] Please keep your remarks confined to

[12:59] whatever motion is pending at that time

[13:01] or you risk being ruled out of order or

[13:03] at least interrupted by me when I ask

[13:05] you to tie it up to the motion. Please

[13:08] use only language that you would use if

[13:10] your mother were here.

[13:13] And please, no attacks on personalities.

[13:15] Let's be tough on the issues but gentle

[13:17] on the people. My final please is please

[13:21] put any amendments to motions that

[13:23] you're considering offering in writing

[13:26] as soon as possible on a form that is

[13:28] available at the checkers. It really

[13:30] does help me and the town clerk uh

[13:33] review the motions at for amendment

[13:36] ahead of time

[13:38] in Stow. Our tradition has been to allow

[13:40] debate to proceed for 30 minutes at

[13:43] which time I will accept a motion to

[13:45] call the question. That means to end

[13:47] debate. If you think you've heard enough

[13:50] before 30 minutes has expired, you can

[13:53] still move to call the question. But if

[13:55] I don't think that all the issues have

[13:57] been aired or there's a significant

[13:59] number of people waiting in line, I

[14:01] might ask you to renew your motion after

[14:04] the 30 minute mark. At the 30 minute

[14:06] mark, something that sounds suspiciously

[14:09] like an oven timer will go off.

[14:12] I'm not going to follow this rule on

[14:14] articles that are non-binding, such as

[14:16] the last three articles on the warrant.

[14:18] On those, I will entertain a motion to

[14:20] call the question at any time. So, that

[14:24] ends our discussion of the rules. And

[14:26] before we begin, I want to do a few

[14:28] recognitions.

[14:31] Several of our elected officials

[14:32] resigned since our last town annual town

[14:35] meeting or they're ending their terms at

[14:37] this town meeting. Ending their terms

[14:39] are Megan Burch Mcichael of the Select

[14:42] Board, Merrily Evdakimoff

[14:45] of the Board of Health, John McFarland

[14:47] of the Nohoba Regional School Committee,

[14:50] and Barbie Wolfendon of the Randall

[14:52] Trustees with a remarkable 15 years on

[14:54] that board.

[14:56] And several elected officials resigned

[14:59] since our last annual town meeting,

[15:01] including Mark Dexter and Sunonny

[15:03] Richardson of the Randall Trustees. And

[15:05] even though he's resigning from an

[15:07] appointed board, I did want to recognize

[15:09] Ernie Dodd, who I understand is moving

[15:12] out of town. Ernie put in eight years on

[15:15] the zoning board of appeals after an

[15:18] absolutely stunning 16 years on the

[15:20] planning board. Serving as an elected

[15:23] official takes a lot of time and effort,

[15:25] and the compensation is modest. Let's

[15:28] take a moment to express our

[15:30] appreciation to all of these

[15:31] individuals. [applause]

[15:37] » [applause]

[15:42] » On a much sadder note, we lost a number

[15:44] of former employees and committee

[15:46] members in the past year, including

[15:48] several long-term town volunteers who

[15:50] were rightly considered to be

[15:52] institutions in this town. Please join

[15:55] me in a moment of silence in memory of

[15:57] all these individuals who we lost in the

[15:59] past year.

[16:05] Thank you.

[16:08] Stow TV is recording this and it will be

[16:11] broadcast on cable and I also think

[16:13] YouTube uh after the meeting.

[16:17] Special thanks to all those who pulled

[16:19] this town meeting together, especially

[16:21] Stow TV, the IT department, the town

[16:24] clerk's office, all of our checkers,

[16:26] Lisa Lvina, the technical volunteer,

[16:28] Kate West, the town administrator, and

[16:31] the select board office.

[16:34] And finally, before we turn to the

[16:37] business of the day, I'd like to take a

[16:39] moment to reflect on the past because

[16:41] this is no ordinary year.

[16:44] 250 years ago, before there was a

[16:47] federal government, before there was

[16:49] polling, social media, Zoom, or even

[16:52] many newspapers, town meeting was where

[16:55] Americans gathered and registered their

[16:57] opinions. This was where ordinary

[16:59] people, farmers, tradesmen, ministers,

[17:03] even the occasional lawyer, came

[17:05] together to debate the great questions

[17:07] of the day. The British authorities

[17:10] tried to suppress town meetings because

[17:12] they understood perhaps better than we

[17:15] do that a people who are in the habit of

[17:17] governing themselves are not easily

[17:20] ruled.

[17:21] And right here in Stow, our predecessors

[17:25] rose to their moment in history. On July

[17:28] 1, 1776,

[17:30] before the Continental Congress adopted

[17:32] the Declaration of Independence, the

[17:35] citizens of the citizens of this town

[17:37] assembled in town meeting just as we are

[17:39] assembling today and voted to support

[17:42] independence from Great Britain. Now,

[17:45] think about what that took. These were

[17:47] not sophisticated political philosophers

[17:50] or great statesmen or the landed

[17:52] nobility. These were people with farms

[17:55] to tend, shops to run, families to feed,

[17:58] and everything to lose. At a time when

[18:01] independence was far from a sure thing,

[18:05] they took a leap into the unknown,

[18:07] backed by nothing except their principle

[18:10] and their resolve.

[18:12] We honor that resolve every time we

[18:14] gather like this. every one of you who

[18:17] took the time to be here today and

[18:19] especially those of you who will go to

[18:21] the microphone today or who have offered

[18:23] citizens petitions. What you have in

[18:26] common with our noble forebears is the

[18:28] understanding that self-government

[18:30] requires some skin in the game.

[18:33] Sometimes some risk, perhaps the

[18:35] occasional leap into the unknown. So

[18:38] today, let's be worthy of that

[18:40] inheritance and conduct ourselves with

[18:42] the seriousness and the respect for one

[18:45] another that this institution deserves.

[18:48] And with that, I am ready for our first

[18:50] motion, Miss Burch Mcichel.

[18:55] » Mr. Moderator, I move the reading of the

[18:57] warrant and return of the constable

[18:59] thereon be waved but made a part of the

[19:01] record of this meeting and that the

[19:03] moderator be permitted to refer to each

[19:05] article by subject matter instead of

[19:07] reading each article in its entirety.

[19:10] >> Do I hear a second?

[19:12] >> Second.

[19:13] >> Motion's been made and seconded. This is

[19:15] a procedural motion that waves the

[19:17] traditional requirement that the

[19:19] moderator read the entire warrant out

[19:21] loud. Its merits are obvious. Is there

[19:24] any debate? Seeing none, we'll go to a

[19:27] vote. This requires a simple majority.

[19:29] We'll use our cards. All those in favor,

[19:32] please signify by raising your cards.

[19:34] Thank you. And all those opposed. I will

[19:37] declare that unanimous. And the motion

[19:40] passes.

[19:43] I'm ready for a motion on article one,

[19:45] reports of select board and other

[19:48] officers and committees. Mr. Tulle.

[19:51] >> Mr. Moderator. I move that the town

[19:54] accept the reports of the select board

[19:56] and other officers and committees of the

[19:58] town as printed in the 2025 annual town

[20:02] report.

[20:03] >> Second.

[20:04] >> I have a motion made and seconded under

[20:06] article one. This is the formal

[20:08] acceptance of the annual reports of the

[20:10] select board and other standing

[20:12] committees. Those reports are gathered

[20:14] in the 2025 annual town report. These

[20:18] are available over by the checkers. get

[20:20] yours while supply last. Um, is there

[20:24] any debate on article one? Seeing none,

[20:27] we'll go to a vote. Again, this requires

[20:29] a simple majority and we'll use our

[20:32] cards. All those in favor, please

[20:34] signify by raising your cards. Thank

[20:36] you. And those opposed. Thank you. I

[20:39] will declare that unanimous. The motion

[20:42] passes.

[20:44] Do I have a article two reports of

[20:46] special committees? Do I have a motion,

[20:48] Mr. Stanzos.

[20:54] » Mr. moderator, I move that the town

[20:56] accept the reports of the special

[20:57] committees as printed in the 2025 annual

[21:00] town report.

[21:02] Second,

[21:03] >> I have a motion made and seconded under

[21:05] article two. This is the same formal

[21:07] acceptance of reports but from ad hoc

[21:10] committees. Uh I think a good example is

[21:12] maybe the comprehensive plan committee.

[21:15] Is there any debate on article two?

[21:17] Seeing none, we will go to a vote.

[21:20] Simple majority. Use our cards. All

[21:22] those in favor, please signify by

[21:24] raising your cards. Thank you. And those

[21:27] opposed. Seeing none, I will call it

[21:30] unanimous. And the motion passes.

[21:33] And article three. I am going to recuse

[21:36] myself from article three. My spouse

[21:39] receives compensation from the town and

[21:42] it is tied to the schedule that is in

[21:44] this article. Miss Lavina will take

[21:47] over.

[21:57] » Good morning everybody. Um, do we have a

[22:00] motion for article three?

[22:02] >> Miss Hegman.

[22:04] >> Thank you madam moderator. I move that

[22:07] the town amend article 11 of the general

[22:09] bylaws of the town personnel

[22:11] administration by deleting from section

[22:14] 20.

[22:16] The existing wage and salary schedules

[22:17] and inserting in place thereof the new

[22:20] schedules A, B, C, and D as printed in

[22:23] the warrant.

[22:25] >> Thank you. We have a motion and a

[22:27] second. Is there any discussion on

[22:29] article three?

[22:33] Seeing none, we'll use our cards. All

[22:36] those in favor, please raise your cards.

[22:40] Thank you. Those opposed,

[22:43] thank you. That's a unanimous vote.

[22:46] And now I'm going to return the mic to

[22:48] Jim.

[22:50] >> Excuse me, Mr. Moderator.

[22:53] >> Thank you.

[22:58] That brings us to article four, the 2027

[23:02] operating budget. As we've done in the

[23:04] past, we'll first have a motion for the

[23:07] entire amount of the budget followed by

[23:10] several presentations. Then I will

[23:13] proceed through the warrant page by

[23:15] page, calling out the line item numbers

[23:18] on those pages. Any resident who wishes

[23:21] to discuss a particular line item should

[23:23] call out the number of that line item

[23:26] and we'll consider the held items, those

[23:29] held items separately. After discussing

[23:31] all of the held items, there'll be an

[23:34] opportunity to comment on the budget as

[23:36] a whole and then we'll vote on the

[23:38] budget as a whole.

[23:41] Article 4, general budget for fiscal

[23:44] year 2027. Do I have a motion, Mr.

[23:47] Peterson?

[23:48] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

[23:50] raise and appropriate appropriate the

[23:52] sum of 39,167,51

[23:57] as recommended by the town administrator

[23:59] for items 1 through 78 inclusive as

[24:03] printed in the warrant under the column

[24:05] entitled fiscal year 2027 budget town

[24:08] admin recommend. Each item is to be

[24:11] considered a separate appropriation for

[24:13] the purpose designated and the same to

[24:16] be extended only for such purposes.

[24:19] >> Second.

[24:20] >> I have a motion made and seconded under

[24:22] article 4. Your finance committee's

[24:25] favorable recommendation is in the

[24:27] warrant. The select board also has a

[24:30] recommendation. Miss Burch Mcichel.

[24:34] >> Uh Mr. Moderator, the select board

[24:36] recommends favorable action.

[24:38] >> Thank you.

[24:40] And we'll begin our presentations

[24:43] with Mr. Pudo. Are you ready?

[25:15] Good morning. Thank you very much. My

[25:17] name is Brian Patuto and I am the chair

[25:18] of your finance committee. Um,

[25:21] >> too many hands, not enough too many

[25:23] things, not enough hands.

[25:28] it. Hang on.

[25:32] So, uh, your finance committee

[25:34] represents you as the voters within the

[25:36] town. Our role is to act as stewards and

[25:39] watchd dogss for the town's finances.

[25:42] Um, we are appointed by the town

[25:44] moderator. There we go. That works. Um,

[25:46] and we go over every single article line

[25:50] by line to determine if the town is

[25:52] spending our money, our tax pay, our tax

[25:55] funds in the most reasonable and

[25:56] responsible way we can. Um we also

[25:59] manage the reserve fund which is a small

[26:01] uh financial sort of slush fund um to

[26:05] fund unusual and unexpected

[26:08] expenses throughout the town. It's sort

[26:10] of an additional safety net

[26:14] for uh fiscal year 27. We have an

[26:17] estimated revenue of approximately

[26:19] 44,900,000.

[26:22] Um 90% of that coming from the tax levy.

[26:29] um what that funds in terms of our

[26:32] savings. These are things like our our

[26:35] capital stabilization account and our OPED

[26:38] liability trust fund. Um each of these

[26:41] is a necessary spend. These are the

[26:43] things that give us the the AAA credit

[26:45] rating that allows us to borrow at the

[26:47] most favorable rates. Um, our estimate

[26:50] for fiscal year 27 will have our uh

[26:54] stabilization fund somewhere around $1.9

[26:57] million.

[27:00] Our capital stabilization fund around

[27:02] $475,000

[27:06] and our oped trust fund around $2.6

[27:09] million. Um, OPED is particularly

[27:13] important. You let me go back because

[27:16] OPED is other post-employment benefits.

[27:19] These are non-pension benefits that uh

[27:23] employees of the town earn through their

[27:25] commitment to supporting our community.

[27:27] Um we are responsible for paying these

[27:30] after they have no longer working for

[27:31] the town. And our goal is within the

[27:34] next 30 years to have 100% of our

[27:36] liability funded. Um and we are well on

[27:39] our way. We're in fact a little ahead of

[27:40] schedule and that we're almost 27% or 27

[27:44] and change funded after this year.

[27:51] Which brings us to expenditures. We have

[27:54] approximately $43,353,000

[27:57] worth of expenditures planned for uh

[27:59] FY27.

[28:01] Um 59% of those go being attributed to

[28:05] our assessments to the two regional

[28:06] school districts, Minute Man and Nshoba

[28:08] Regional. Uh 9% is our general fund and

[28:12] operations. Uh 8% is public safety and

[28:15] 7% is debt servicing.

[28:22] Uh major budget drivers are uh municipal

[28:25] employee salaries, the new contracts for

[28:28] our town administrator and our fire

[28:29] union, as well as um always every year,

[28:33] everyone knows this, the rising cost of

[28:34] health insurance. Um and then finally,

[28:37] we have an increasing number of capital

[28:40] requests that are also more expensive.

[28:42] And as such, we are working to build a

[28:44] healthy debt plan where some of these things are paid out of the

[28:49] tax levy as opposed to uh out of free

[28:51] cash and debt every year.

[28:56] We are recommending uh uh 2.6 million no

[29:02] $2.4 million $2.5 million in capital

[29:05] items mostly split between free cash and

[29:08] bonding. Um

[29:11] and we will go over all of these

[29:13] throughout the capital request later.

[29:16] Um we recommend favorable action on most

[29:20] of the articles in the warrant today.

[29:21] Particularly we've reviewed and uh the

[29:24] budget for the town quite thoroughly

[29:26] over the last several months and

[29:27] recommend its support in 39,167,51.

[29:32] Um, and we really do spend several

[29:35] months going over every single item

[29:38] multiple times.

[29:40] Um, and always my favorite slide. Um,

[29:43] there are open associate positions on

[29:46] the FINCOM. We welcome your

[29:47] participation. Um, and

[29:51] if you're interested, you can address

[29:53] the Mr. moderator. Thank you very much.

[30:06] Thank you. Next, we'll be hearing from

[30:08] the Nshoba Regional School District. Um,

[30:11] Ross Mal Karen, their assistant

[30:13] superintendent, I think for business,

[30:16] and I believe he's accompanied by Kirk

[30:18] Downing, the superintendent.

[30:31] Thank you, Mr. Roderator, for your

[30:33] recognition. I want to thank all the

[30:35] members of the town for appearing today.

[30:38] I am Kurt Downing, superintendent of the

[30:40] Nosha Regional School District.

[30:47] » How's that? [laughter]

[30:51] » I would like to reclaim my time. That's

[30:53] good.

[30:54] >> I am Kirk Downing, superintendent of the

[30:56] Noshoba Regional School District. I am

[30:58] joined by Assistant Superintendent Ross

[31:00] Moccaren. I want to thank you all uh for

[31:03] welcoming us strangers to the meeting

[31:05] today so we can give you an opportunity

[31:07] to share some information about the

[31:09] school district. I particularly want to

[31:11] thank uh the town boards and chairs that

[31:15] have engaged with us throughout the

[31:17] process this year. Mr. Enosski, Mr.

[31:20] Jelnick, Miss Burch Mcichel, and Mr.

[31:22] Patudo, thank you for the time that you

[31:24] put into meeting with us. We're very

[31:26] appreciative and it demonstrates a great

[31:28] partnership that the school district has

[31:31] uh with the town of Stow. And with that,

[31:33] I will turn it over to Assistant

[31:34] Superintendent McCarron to share the

[31:36] finances of uh the school district.

[31:41] Good morning. I'd like to thank my boss

[31:43] for making the mistakes with the

[31:44] microphone so I don't have to. Uh good

[31:47] morning everyone. Ross Mall current,

[31:49] assistant superintendent, finance,

[31:50] operations and safety. Uh former center

[31:54] school principal. So this stage is uh

[31:56] not unfamiliar to me.

[32:05] » So when we stood before you last year,

[32:07] uh we were at the end of a uh much more

[32:11] um difficult budget season. um some

[32:15] things that we've done this year to

[32:16] address the issues that approached us

[32:18] last year. Um and that included the

[32:21] reduction of staff. Um we're able to

[32:23] retain a lot of people through some

[32:25] other adjustments, but we did have to

[32:27] reduce our our staff um across the

[32:30] district. So, a couple things. Um

[32:34] special education was a big issue last

[32:36] year. We've um done a couple things

[32:39] including bringing our we've ended some

[32:42] transportation contracts uh that were

[32:44] not working in our favor. Um we're

[32:46] bringing those things inhouse as well as

[32:48] establishing a transportation

[32:49] coordinator position to run those things

[32:51] for us. And we are already projecting a

[32:53] cost savings for next year and able to

[32:55] reduce what we anticipated the FY27 uh

[32:58] special education transportation budget

[33:00] would be during the budget season. So

[33:02] those those um cost differentials are

[33:05] before you in this budget. Uh,

[33:07] additionally, we've reconfigured some

[33:08] special education programming across the

[33:10] district um to better serve our students

[33:12] with the hopes that we will also be able

[33:14] to keep some students within the

[33:16] district uh instead of those costly

[33:18] outofd district programs um and ensuring

[33:20] that students are with their their

[33:22] neighbors uh and uh other members of

[33:25] their school district.

[33:27] And the health insurance front, this is

[33:28] no different. Um you know, your town

[33:30] administrator and I talked quite a bit

[33:32] uh about this during budget season. Last

[33:34] year we were initially faced with an

[33:36] almost 20% increase. This year um we

[33:40] were able to post budget negotiate that

[33:42] down a little bit but for FY27 we we see

[33:45] an 11 a.5% which is almost sort of half

[33:48] of what we've seen but it's it's quite

[33:50] literally three times uh higher than

[33:52] we've seen in the past. So health

[33:54] insurance remains a concern. Uh the

[33:56] impact is not as big for FY27 as it was

[33:59] for the FY26 planning.

[34:03] So, uh, without, uh, going too far into

[34:07] this, uh, I do want to update you on

[34:09] borrowing for the new high school. I

[34:11] won't do this every year, uh, as we

[34:12] approach the end of project. Um, but

[34:15] some of our previous borrowing for the

[34:16] high school for projects is slowly

[34:19] fading off. Uh, those bottom uh, two

[34:22] bonds that you see are the bonds that

[34:24] are carrying the new construction as

[34:26] well as our MSBA reimbursements as the

[34:28] project go along goes along. uh in

[34:31] working with your town uh

[34:32] representatives a couple summers ago, we

[34:34] came up with a bonding strategy. This is

[34:36] the result of that. Uh we do not

[34:38] anticipating doing any bonding uh during

[34:41] FY or excuse me during the time from now

[34:45] uh until the time that FY27 would be

[34:47] impacted. So we see no additional

[34:48] borrowing that would impact FY27

[34:51] assessments and that's what you see

[34:53] before you today.

[34:56] So, your your total assessment on the

[34:59] operating budget, which is based off the

[35:01] five-year rolling average of your

[35:02] enrollment in the school district, uh is

[35:05] going up just exactly three and a half%.

[35:08] Uh you'll notice that your debt

[35:10] assessment is going down. That's because

[35:13] Stow has a decreasing enrollment like

[35:15] most uh municipalities in this uh state.

[35:18] However, because of the way the regional

[35:20] agreement is written, it's based off a

[35:22] one-year calculation. So you have a

[35:24] differential that's going down on your

[35:26] debt assessment due to lower enrollment

[35:27] at the high school on October one.

[35:30] So that's your total budget uh from the

[35:33] school district that you see before you.

[35:34] We again thank you for your support as

[35:36] always for the schools. Um we're really

[35:38] happy and glad to be part of the

[35:40] partnerships with this town and look

[35:42] forward to continue to do an excellent

[35:44] job for students each and every day uh

[35:46] across our district. Thank you.

[35:49] >> All right. Thank you gentlemen.

[35:51] Next, we have a brief presentation from

[35:53] the Minute Man Regional Vocational

[35:56] Technical School District. I believe

[35:59] that's from Nikki Andradi, their

[36:01] business manager, and she is accompanied

[36:03] by, I believe, Heidi Driscoll, their

[36:05] superintendent.

[36:14] » Thank you very much. Uh, my name is

[36:16] Heidi Driscoll. I'm the proud

[36:18] superintendent of Minute Man Regional.

[36:20] It's an absolute pleasure to be here

[36:22] with all of the residents from Stowe. We

[36:24] hope to share um more information about

[36:27] Minute Man with you. Outside of this

[36:30] meeting, if any of you ever are

[36:31] interested, please reach out. You'll see

[36:34] that our budget reflects our values and

[36:36] what we provide for Stowe is an

[36:38] immersive vocational program for

[36:41] students who enroll. Um our business

[36:43] manager, Nikki Andreed, will be sharing

[36:46] with you our specific budget.

[36:52] Good morning.

[36:55] Um, as Superintendent Driscoll

[36:58] mentioned, our budget is based on our

[37:00] um, values which are our students and

[37:02] our staff. Um, we are bringing um, a

[37:06] budget which is a 2.99% increase from

[37:09] last year um, which is just under $33

[37:11] and a half million dollars.

[37:14] um what how that makes is made up. Um on

[37:17] the operating side um we are seeing just

[37:20] under 26 and a half million um which is

[37:23] a 3.84% increase. You'll see in um

[37:26] future slides uh majority of that is due

[37:29] to our collective bargaining agreement

[37:31] which we successfully negotiated with

[37:32] our teachers from 2027 to 2029. Um as

[37:36] well as the town um in Nova is

[37:38] experiencing um double digit increases

[37:41] in our health insurance. Our operating

[37:43] capital recommendation um is about a 4

[37:46] percent decrease uh around $1.2 million.

[37:49] That's um made up majority of our

[37:51] capital stabilization account. And then

[37:53] our building project debt um somewhat uh

[37:56] consistent, just less than a 1% um

[37:58] change between years.

[38:02] So overall, our increases to our member

[38:05] towns is a 2.44% increase to the

[38:08] assessments, which is just just around

[38:11] 27 million. Um but for Stow we are just

[38:14] under 2.6 um and that's a 7% decrease

[38:18] and that is due to um as Mishova had

[38:21] mentioned um the four-year rolling

[38:22] average of the number um of students.

[38:27] So you know just breaking that out your

[38:29] total assessment just about 2.6 6

[38:31] million. Um whereas um without the debt

[38:34] excluded um debt service um on the

[38:37] school project um it's about 2.1

[38:39] million.

[38:41] As I mentioned before um staffing and

[38:44] insuranceances are um you know probably

[38:47] the biggest uh budget drivers in in our

[38:49] budget here as well as prioritizing

[38:51] funding to our capital stabilization

[38:53] account.

[38:56] Um you will see here our overall

[38:57] enrollment um as it's strongly tied to

[39:00] our budget. We have 657

[39:03] students which is our purple line here

[39:05] made up of a majority of our member

[39:06] towns which is the red line. Um and then

[39:09] we have a small amount of uh non-member

[39:12] towns which is about 42 this year.

[39:16] For Stow in particular, um we have 54

[39:19] total students. Um 14 seniors, 20

[39:22] juniors, 11 sophomores, and nine

[39:25] freshmen. Um Stow graduated a class last

[39:29] year of 19 students. Um and we had a

[39:33] freshman class of nine. So um you will

[39:35] see in our next slide here your

[39:37] four-year rolling average did decrease

[39:39] um about you know negative one% um you

[39:44] are seeing about a negative 7% um

[39:47] decrease in the total overall

[39:48] assessments but again kind of um just

[39:51] showing our total overall assessments

[39:53] here 2.44%

[39:55] and then our total um change in the

[39:57] four-year rolling average about 3%. So

[39:59] that um is mostly consistent

[40:01] year-to-year.

[40:04] And thank you so much for your time. Um

[40:06] we're happy to answer any questions that

[40:08] you have.

[40:10] >> Thank you both.

[40:14] And as I said, uh at this point or we do

[40:18] have a presentation from the select

[40:20] board, a very brief statement from the

[40:21] select board, Miss Burj Mcichael.

[40:24] >> Thank you. Um good morning. My name is

[40:26] Megan Burch Mcichel and I'm the current

[40:28] chair of the STO select board. Uh we

[40:30] wanted to take a moment this morning to

[40:32] address article 4, specifically the

[40:34] budget line item of the town

[40:35] administrator's salary. As you should be

[40:38] aware, the town administrator operates

[40:40] under a three-year contract that the

[40:41] select board approves. This contract

[40:44] goes under review by the board in an

[40:46] executive session, much like other high

[40:48] position contracts like the chief of

[40:49] police and the fire chief, and then the

[40:51] detailed minutes are released. As the

[40:54] board began their discussions this year

[40:55] about compensation for the town

[40:57] administrator, we were provided with an

[40:59] independent salary survey of all of the

[41:01] town administrators by the M

[41:02] Massachusetts Municipal Association.

[41:06] It was noted that the market rate for

[41:07] town administrator positions has

[41:09] continued to increase yearover-year. The

[41:11] average town administrator compens

[41:14] compensation for the last fiscal year

[41:16] based on the full survey. This includes

[41:19] all size towns

[41:22] was $192,780.

[41:26] In preparation for our board meeting,

[41:29] Miss Demkowski put together a salary

[41:31] package that she both believes is fair

[41:33] and equitable and that would bring her

[41:35] closer to the average. After reviewing

[41:37] the full salary survey, the board made a

[41:39] slightly higher counter proposal to

[41:41] recognize and appreciate the work that

[41:43] she has accomplished in Stowe and to

[41:45] bring her closer to the market rate.

[41:47] Additionally, this decision was made

[41:49] after a board discussion that recognized

[41:51] that the town of Stow does not provide

[41:53] bonuses, longevity, or deferred

[41:55] compensation that many other towns

[41:57] provide to their town administrators.

[41:59] Monetary compensations that are not

[42:01] reflected in their salary line items.

[42:05] Among the list of accomplishments that

[42:06] Miss Dunkoski has achieved in the brief

[42:08] seven years that she has been the town

[42:09] administrator, it would not be possible

[42:12] to overstate the importance of Denise's

[42:14] involvement in the Mast's Academy

[42:15] project moving from conception to

[42:17] groundbreaking. When she first became

[42:19] aware of this project becoming a

[42:20] possibility, she not only worked

[42:22] directly with Masters, but with various

[42:24] town boards and town meeting to clear

[42:27] the way for this historic project to

[42:28] take shape. This is an $83 million

[42:31] project that is going to positively

[42:33] change the shape of the town for

[42:34] generations to come and there is no way

[42:36] that it would have come close to the

[42:38] finish line without Denise's stewardship

[42:40] involving state agencies and local

[42:42] representatives on advocating for this

[42:44] project.

[42:46] On top of that project, she has also

[42:48] been heavily involved in the Lake Boon

[42:50] Dam project, the Stow Acres project,

[42:52] finalized the lower village water study,

[42:54] worked on ongoing PAS remediation,

[42:57] helped to shepherd the Randall Library

[42:58] project to completion, and also serves

[43:02] and chairs various boards around the

[43:03] state of Massachusetts in order to

[43:05] advocate for small towns like ours. She

[43:08] has also maintained a healthy and

[43:10] balanced budget for the town of Stowe.

[43:13] However, in our discussions, it was also

[43:15] very important for the board to note

[43:17] that tomorrow is not promised. It is our

[43:20] fiscal responsibility to make sure that

[43:21] the town of Stowe can compete with these

[43:24] town administrator salaries should any

[43:26] of life's changes happen. By bringing

[43:28] this line item up to an equitable salary

[43:30] rate, we are guaranteeing that in the

[43:32] future, we will be able to be in a

[43:34] competitive position instead of having

[43:36] to possibly pat a future budget to meet

[43:38] the market rate for this job. Thank you

[43:40] all for your time this morning.

[43:43] Thank you, Miss Burch Mcichael. So, as I

[43:45] said at the beginning, I will go page by

[43:48] page through the budget that is in your

[43:50] warrant. If you want to hold a line

[43:52] item, shout out the number of that line

[43:55] item.

[43:56] Page 21, line items 1 through nine.

[44:03] Page 22, line items 10 through 18.

[44:12] Page 23, line items 19 through 27.

[44:20] Page 24, line items 28 through 35.

[44:27] Page 25, line items 36 through 42.

[44:33] >> 41.

[44:34] >> I heard 41.

[44:40] Page 26, line items 43 through 51.

[44:48] Page 27, line items 52 through 57.

[44:56] » Hold which one?

[44:59] >> 55, please.

[45:01] >> Thank you. I heard 55.

[45:06] Page 28, line items 58 through 65.

[45:15] » I heard 60.

[45:19] Page 29, line items 66 through 71.

[45:27] Page 30, line items 72 through 77.

[45:33] >> Which one?

[45:34] >> 72. I heard 72

[45:38] and page 31 line item 78.

[45:45] I heard holds on

[45:52] line items 41,

[45:55] 55,

[45:58] and 60 60 and 72.

[46:03] Are there any other line items to be

[46:05] held?

[46:07] Hearing none, let's circle back to the

[46:10] first line item that was held, which I

[46:12] believe was 41.

[46:19] Uh, I'm going to call this microphone

[46:21] that is on my left, your right, front

[46:23] microphone. And I'm going to call that

[46:25] microphone side microphone, front

[46:28] microphone.

[46:30] >> 88 PBD drive. Uh there's a lot going on

[46:33] with item for line item 41 here. Could

[46:36] somebody please explain to me why

[46:38] the budget request is half of what last

[46:40] year's budget was and the town

[46:43] administrator is recommending 580,000

[46:45] more than what's been requested.

[46:47] >> Most.

[46:49] >> Yes. Thank you. So this is nothing more

[46:52] than a timing issue. Um the same is

[46:55] actually true for the treasur's office,

[46:56] but no one held that line item. Um the

[47:00] fire department was in the middle of

[47:01] union negotiations. The fire chief did

[47:03] not want to plug a number in. Um but the

[47:06] way our budget software works, I had to

[47:07] shut off department requested at a

[47:09] certain time period. So it was shut off

[47:11] while we continued to go through

[47:12] negotiations. He put in the true cost

[47:15] that he knew outside of the union. Um

[47:17] the recommended budget is including the

[47:20] uh negotiated and finalized union

[47:21] contract wages.

[47:25] I see no further discussion on 41. I am

[47:28] moving to line item 55.

[47:32] Will whoever held line item 55, would

[47:34] they like to ask their question?

[47:37] Mr. moderator, it's not that I have a

[47:39] question, but because it directly

[47:41] relates to um

[47:44] my spouse, I would like to recuse myself

[47:48] from that specific line item vote.

[47:51] >> All right. I think you would um then

[47:54] press number three. Is that really

[47:56] necessary at a town meeting?

[47:59] I I don't think it's necessary. Uh Mr.

[48:02] Tulle. Um but your attention to your

[48:07] ethical obligations is admirable. So

[48:09] I'll I'll leave that I'll leave the

[48:11] decision to your conscience.

[48:14] Is there any other discussion on number

[48:16] 55?

[48:19] Seeing none, moving on to line item 60.

[48:26] Side microphone.

[48:27] >> Tom Ryan. Is that on?

[48:32] >> Hello.

[48:33] >> It's on.

[48:33] >> Tom Ryan, 453 Great Road. I held this

[48:38] one because it uh I questioned the

[48:43] last year's number of 102,000

[48:46] approximately. the requested number was

[48:49] 94,000

[48:50] and then the recommended budget is

[48:55] 101,000.

[48:56] And one of the things that I have

[48:58] noticed throughout this is that

[49:02] there are quite a few um lines that the

[49:07] recommended amount is in some cases

[49:10] significantly over

[49:13] the requested amount. So, I kind of

[49:16] picked on this one to

[49:18] try to find out what's going on. Why a

[49:21] number of

[49:24] re our recommended amounts are in some

[49:27] cases grossly over

[49:30] requested amounts.

[49:32] I figured that the last one would re get

[49:35] relating to the fire department was an

[49:38] oddball, but I'm just kind of curious

[49:41] about why there are large increase or

[49:45] recommendations

[49:47] that greatly exceed the requested

[49:50] numbers.

[49:51] >> Understood, Miss Dowski.

[49:53] >> Yep. So, it's actually the same

[49:54] situation. Uh, we had no library

[49:57] director. We had interim directors, that

[49:59] was the staff. They put forward a number

[50:00] that they felt the next director should

[50:03] come in at. The library trustees

[50:05] negotiated a contract when the new

[50:06] director came in and the recommended

[50:08] amount represents the contract amount.

[50:11] Again, it was just a timing matter of

[50:12] when the software had to shut off the

[50:14] department requested versus when we

[50:16] finalized the budget, which still takes

[50:18] months after the requests are submitted.

[50:23] » Seeing no further debate on line item

[50:26] 60, I am moving to the next held item.

[50:29] Line item 72, the NRSD operating

[50:32] assessment.

[50:33] >> Thank you, Mr. Moderator. Debbie Woods,

[50:35] Great Road. Um, my question is regarding

[50:37] a comment that was made during the

[50:39] presentation from the I think it was the

[50:42] assistant superintendent. One of the

[50:44] comments was made that part of the

[50:45] reason they were able to hold a lower

[50:48] increase was due to staff reduction. And

[50:50] my question is in that staff reduction,

[50:52] what's the percentage of teachers or c

[50:56] um studentf facing positions versus

[50:58] administration?

[51:00] >> Mr. Meraren, can you address that?

[51:12] » So ju so just to clarify, I was

[51:15] referencing the FY26 budget season where

[51:17] we had staffing reductions. We do not

[51:19] have any staffing reductions in the FY27

[51:22] budget. However, we still do use our

[51:24] staff cla our standard um standards for

[51:28] classroom sizes uh as well as our

[51:31] administrative standards across the

[51:32] district so that there's uh equality in

[51:35] the number of people facing students and

[51:37] doing certain roles.

[51:40] >> Is there any further debate on line item

[51:41] 72?

[51:44] >> Clarification if I may, Mr. Moderator.

[51:46] So no teachers or studentf facing

[51:50] positions have been eliminated in the 27

[51:52] budget.

[51:59] The only situation in which positions

[52:02] would be eliminated or reduced in the

[52:04] FY27 budget would be to do due to

[52:07] enrollment not budgetary constraints or

[52:10] programmatic changes not budgetary

[52:12] constraints.

[52:15] >> Thank you. Seeing no further debate on

[52:18] line item 72, I will ask, are there any

[52:21] comments or debate on the budget as a

[52:23] whole?

[52:26] Side microphone. Uh Tom Ryan 453 Great

[52:30] Road. Mr. moderator.

[52:33] The overall budget I decided not to beat

[52:38] individual line items to death, but I am

[52:40] concerned about the

[52:44] rate of increase in the budget overall.

[52:48] I think this year the school district

[52:51] I'm very pleased they're coming in at

[52:54] three some odd percent which I think is

[52:58] great and I think it shows badly for us

[53:01] overall that we're coming in oh closer

[53:06] to 6%.

[53:08] And that's before we start talking about

[53:11] the debt service that pushes the overall

[53:16] budget for the town excluding the

[53:19] education closer to a 10% increase this

[53:23] year.

[53:24] It's bothering me and I'm hoping that

[53:27] our town officials will look at this

[53:29] stuff more closely, especially in light

[53:32] of a number of double-digit budget

[53:35] increases

[53:37] in some of the salary line items and

[53:39] other things like that.

[53:41] We're all our our taxes are going up, I

[53:44] think, at an unsustainable level. We're

[53:47] going to max out our unused levy

[53:50] capacity in the not too distant future.

[53:53] And I think we are we need to take a

[53:56] closer look and reduce the rate of

[54:00] increase.

[54:02] >> Thank you. That was not expressly a

[54:04] question, but Miss Dimcowski, do you

[54:06] want to respond?

[54:09] >> No. Okay. Um, do I have any additional

[54:11] debate? Side microphone.

[54:13] >> Hi, Sandy Taff 303 Redacre Road. And

[54:16] this is really a request for

[54:17] clarification for future warrants um

[54:20] with regard to this subject of the

[54:21] overall budget. It was very helpful to

[54:23] see the bar graphs that we saw today.

[54:26] Would it be possible to have those bar

[54:28] graphs that show the historical

[54:29] progression like you should on those two

[54:31] powerpoints with the capital number as

[54:33] well as the general number as part of

[54:35] the warrant article in the future?

[54:38] >> That was a question. Uh, Miss Decausski,

[54:43] » certainly we could consider putting it

[54:44] right in the warrant. We we do have a

[54:46] lot of information on our website. We do

[54:48] a very thorough budget book that has the

[54:49] breakdown of the past few years so you

[54:51] can see the progression. Um I can look

[54:54] at it for the warrant. It's just tough

[54:55] when we don't print and color and it's

[54:57] on a paper, but um certainly I'll

[54:58] consider it.

[55:02] >> Thank you. Seeing no further debate,

[55:03] we'll go to a vote. But before we do

[55:05] that, am I the only one who's having

[55:06] difficulty hearing the side microphone?

[55:10] >> Yeah, apparently I am. Okay, well never

[55:12] mind.

[55:14] Um, we'll go to a vote. The question is

[55:19] on the passage of the main motion under

[55:21] article 4. This requires a simple

[55:23] majority and we will use our clickers

[55:26] and voting will be open for 15 seconds

[55:30] beginning now.

[55:41] [snorts]

[55:50] and voting is closed.

[55:56] And by a vote of 126 to 18, the main

[56:00] motion under article 4 passes.

[56:09] That brings us to the consent calendar,

[56:12] articles 5 through 39.

[56:16] The consent calendar is a group of

[56:18] articles that ex that experience has

[56:20] shown us should not be controversial and

[56:22] can be dealt with effectively through

[56:24] one consolidated motion without debate.

[56:27] The last article this year, article 39,

[56:30] is new. Uh, Miss Decosski, could you

[56:33] briefly explain what that is and why

[56:36] it's there?

[56:36] >> Yes, certainly. So article 39 is the

[56:39] acceptance of chapter 90 funds. This was

[56:41] on recommendation of council based on

[56:43] department of revenue recommendations

[56:45] that town meeting formally uh vote to

[56:48] accept funding from the state to fix our

[56:50] roads. It's just a procedural article.

[56:53] >> Thank you. Um of course any resident has

[56:56] a right to debate any consent calendar

[56:58] article if they want. So here's what

[57:00] we're going to do. After the

[57:02] consolidated motion is made. I will read

[57:05] each article number and its title and

[57:07] I'll wait a second. If you want to

[57:09] debate that article, please shout hold

[57:11] in a clear and loud voice. If I hear a

[57:15] hold, I will ask if it's I'll ask you if

[57:17] it's a quick question or a subject for

[57:20] discussion. A quick question is

[57:21] something factual like a date or a

[57:24] number, something that can be dealt with

[57:25] quickly without actually holding the

[57:27] item. A question like why do we do this?

[57:30] What is this for? perfectly legitimate

[57:32] question, but something more like a

[57:34] subject for discussion. Please heir on

[57:36] the side of saying it's a subject for

[57:38] discussion. If you're not sure, anything

[57:40] held will be dropped from the

[57:42] consolidated motion and debated and

[57:45] voted independently.

[57:48] We'll vote the remaining consolidated

[57:50] motion without any debate. Before we

[57:53] begin, I do have a I I need you to know

[57:56] I do have a letter from the chair of the

[57:57] community preservation committee

[57:59] informing all of us that at a meeting on

[58:02] January 5, 2026, the CPC voted to

[58:05] approve articles 25 and 26. It's a

[58:08] statutory requirement that you be told

[58:10] that. And with that, I am ready for the

[58:13] consolidated motion. Miss Burch Mcichel.

[58:16] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the annual

[58:18] town meeting approve articles 5 6 7 8 9

[58:23] 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

[58:34] 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

[58:44] 36 37 7, 38, and 39 as printed in the

[58:49] warrant without debate on any such

[58:51] articles. And provided that upon the

[58:53] request of any voter at this meeting

[58:55] made before the vote is taken on this

[58:57] motion, an article shall be dropped from

[58:59] the consent calendar and shall be acted

[59:02] upon in the ordinary course and order of

[59:04] business at this town meeting.

[59:08] >> Did I hear a second?

[59:10] >> Yes.

[59:10] >> I have a consolidated motion made and

[59:12] seconded. Your finance committee's

[59:14] recommendations are in the warrant. They

[59:16] are all favorable. And I will now, as I

[59:19] said, read the number and title of each

[59:23] article in the consent calendar. If you

[59:25] want to hold it, shout hold in a clear

[59:28] and convincing voice. Article five,

[59:32] revolving fund expenditure limits.

[59:35] Article six, stow cultural council.

[59:39] Article seven, smart 911 rave

[59:42] notification system.

[59:45] Article eight, weights and measures

[59:47] testing.

[59:48] Article 9, transfer to conservation

[59:51] fund.

[59:52] Article 10, transfer from wetlands

[59:55] protection fund.

[59:57] Article 11, addition to conservation

[1:00:00] fund.

[1:00:02] Article 12, update of property

[1:00:04] valuations.

[1:00:06] Article 13, DPW, road machinery, private

[1:00:10] ways, and municipal parking lots.

[1:00:13] Article 14, DPW, engineering fees.

[1:00:18] Article 15, household hazardous waste

[1:00:20] collection.

[1:00:22] Article 16, municipal solid waste

[1:00:24] disposal.

[1:00:26] Article 17, Stow TV expenses.

[1:00:30] Article 18, holiday decorations and

[1:00:33] lighting fund.

[1:00:35] Article 19, audit of financial records.

[1:00:39] Article 20, water system expenses.

[1:00:44] Article 21, select board small purchase

[1:00:46] fund.

[1:00:48] Article 22, construction and maintenance

[1:00:51] of water holes for firefighting

[1:00:53] operations.

[1:00:55] Article 23, Lake Boon water quality

[1:00:58] remediation.

[1:01:00] Article 24, planning board engineering

[1:01:03] consulting expenses.

[1:01:06] Article 25, community preservation

[1:01:09] expenses.

[1:01:11] Article 26, community preservation

[1:01:13] reserves.

[1:01:16] Article 27, online budgeting software.

[1:01:21] Article 28, traffic safety advisory

[1:01:24] funds.

[1:01:26] Article 29,

[1:01:28] MS4 storm water permit requirements.

[1:01:33] Article 30, legal services.

[1:01:37] Article 31, subscription services.

[1:01:42] >> Hold on. Article 31.

[1:01:45] Article 32, town events fund.

[1:01:49] Article 33, veterans benefits. Oh, I'm

[1:01:53] sorry. I should have asked on article

[1:01:55] 31. Is it a quick question or is it a

[1:01:58] subject for discussion?

[1:02:00] >> Additional information. Uh, we'll call

[1:02:02] that subject for discussion. Thank you.

[1:02:05] I think I was up to article 34, National

[1:02:08] Guard Reserve Tax Relief.

[1:02:12] Article 35, Economic Development and

[1:02:15] Industrial Commission Funds.

[1:02:18] Article 36, transfer to OPED trust fund.

[1:02:24] Article 37, transfer to stabilization

[1:02:26] fund.

[1:02:28] Article 38, transfer to capital

[1:02:30] stabilization fund

[1:02:33] and article 39, acceptance of chapter 90

[1:02:36] funds.

[1:02:38] All right, we are ready for Thank you.

[1:02:41] Are there any holds that anybody wants

[1:02:43] to make a last at a last minute? It's

[1:02:45] fine.

[1:02:46] Seeing none, we are ready for a vote on

[1:02:48] the consolidated motions which is

[1:02:51] articles 5 through 39 with the exception

[1:02:54] of 31.

[1:02:56] There is no debate on this. This

[1:02:58] requires a simple majority and we will

[1:03:01] use our cards. All those in favor of

[1:03:03] passing the consolidated motion, please

[1:03:05] signify by raising your cards. Thank

[1:03:07] you. And those against. And I will call

[1:03:11] that unanimous.

[1:03:14] And if we could circle back, please to

[1:03:17] the held item, article 31. I need a I

[1:03:21] first need a motion to be read.

[1:03:24] >> Mr. Moderator, I move the town approve

[1:03:26] article 31 and as funding therefore to

[1:03:28] raise and appropriate the sum of $35,000

[1:03:31] to be added to any remaining balance for

[1:03:33] the purpose of paying for subscription

[1:03:35] services that were previously paid for

[1:03:37] through COVID funding.

[1:03:40] >> I need a second.

[1:03:42] >> After some prompting, I have a motion

[1:03:44] made and seconded on article 31 side

[1:03:47] microphone.

[1:03:48] >> Thank you, Mr. Moderator. Debbie Woods,

[1:03:49] Great Road. Um while I understand this

[1:03:52] is a small amount, I'm always concerned

[1:03:54] with nickels and dimes because nickels

[1:03:56] and dimes add up. The other thing I'm

[1:03:58] concerned about is we became very um

[1:04:01] confident and comfortable with COVID

[1:04:03] money and we tend to keep spending what

[1:04:05] was allocated for CO money maybe because

[1:04:07] we do do not need it. So my question is

[1:04:10] what are these subscriptions that are

[1:04:12] included in this $35,000 and are they

[1:04:15] needs versus wants?

[1:04:18] Uh, Miss Demcowski.

[1:04:23] » Uh, yes. So, well, it depends who you

[1:04:25] ask. I would consider them needs. We did

[1:04:28] uh use CO money to make an number of

[1:04:30] purchases regarding software and

[1:04:31] services. Um, so this line item covers

[1:04:34] things like the required um social media

[1:04:37] archiving for public records law. Uh, it

[1:04:39] includes our facility software. It

[1:04:41] includes the services of the PR firm,

[1:04:44] all of our Zoom licenses. Uh, it's

[1:04:46] called First Arriving. It does

[1:04:48] dashboards for public safety. Uh we have

[1:04:51] licensing for other softwares like GIS

[1:04:53] systems. Uh items that we did not have

[1:04:57] prior to COVID that we implemented

[1:04:59] during COVID to make residents um be

[1:05:02] able to ex access our data more

[1:05:04] transparently and so we have continued

[1:05:06] to keep them up.

[1:05:08] >> Thank you, Mr. Moderator.

[1:05:10] >> Thank you. Any further debate?

[1:05:12] Seeing none, we will go to a vote on the

[1:05:14] main motion under article 31. This

[1:05:17] requires a simple majority. We'll use

[1:05:19] our cards. All those in favor, please

[1:05:21] signify by raising your cards. Thank

[1:05:23] you. And those against, I will call that

[1:05:26] unanimous. It passes. That brings us to

[1:05:30] article 40. The uh free cash capital

[1:05:34] items. I'm going to the uh deputy

[1:05:37] moderator asked to do one article, but

[1:05:40] left the choice up to me and I picked

[1:05:44] article 40. You know,

[1:05:46] >> why not? So, I will turn it over to Miss

[1:05:50] Lavina.

[1:06:17] Thank you, Mr. Moderator. Good morning

[1:06:19] again.

[1:06:20] Um, so here we are with capital items.

[1:06:23] This, um, is articles 40 and 41. Capital

[1:06:28] requests are divided between those items

[1:06:31] proposed to be paid for from free cash

[1:06:33] and they are listed in article 40 and

[1:06:36] the items proposed to be paid by

[1:06:38] borrowing are listed in article 41. The

[1:06:42] proposed borrowing does not include a

[1:06:44] debt exclusion.

[1:06:46] First, we have a procedural motion on

[1:06:48] article 40. Mr. Tulle.

[1:06:51] >> Madame moderator, I move the town

[1:06:54] discuss the items of this article

[1:06:56] individually and vote upon each

[1:06:58] separately as to the amount to be

[1:07:00] appropriated for each item as set forth

[1:07:03] in separate motions proposed.

[1:07:06] >> Second.

[1:07:07] >> Thank you. We have a motion and a second

[1:07:09] on the floor. Do we have any discussion?

[1:07:12] Seeing none, we'll move to a vote by

[1:07:14] cards. All those in favor, please raise

[1:07:16] your cards.

[1:07:19] Thank you. All those opposed. That is

[1:07:22] unanimous. Thank you.

[1:07:25] Before considering the elements included

[1:07:27] in article 40, we have a presentation

[1:07:29] from the capital planning committee

[1:07:31] chair Steve Gelanick.

[1:07:35] Uh good morning folks. Steve Jelanick,

[1:07:37] chair of capital planning. Um here to

[1:07:39] give you a short overview of uh the

[1:07:41] capital items in the warrant this year.

[1:07:43] Um,

[1:07:45] I'm sure everybody knows this, but just

[1:07:46] as a reminder, capital a capital item is

[1:07:49] anything that uh constitutes land

[1:07:51] purchase or anything that costs more

[1:07:53] than $10,000 and has a useful life of at

[1:07:56] least three years. Um, capital planning

[1:07:59] is charged by our bylaws to develop a

[1:08:01] capital outlay plan for the town and to

[1:08:03] make recommendations uh at town meeting.

[1:08:06] This year we have a total of 26 capital

[1:08:09] items in the warrant. Um which I think

[1:08:11] might be a new record.

[1:08:13] Um and as uh Miss Lavina just said um we

[1:08:17] are broken this up into two different

[1:08:19] articles. Article 40 covers things that

[1:08:21] are going to be paid for out of free

[1:08:22] cash and item article 41 covers uh stuff

[1:08:28] that's going to be paid for via

[1:08:29] borrowing. Um we're going to have more

[1:08:31] to say about each item as they come up.

[1:08:33] our are our uh our recommendations are

[1:08:36] printed in the warrant. Um

[1:08:39] but we'll have more to say about each

[1:08:40] one why we recommend or not recommend.

[1:08:42] Um lastly, we've listed all the members

[1:08:44] of the capital planning committee on

[1:08:46] this particular slide and I'd like to

[1:08:47] acknowledge their contributions for

[1:08:49] their efforts this year. Again, it was a

[1:08:51] very challenging budget season.

[1:08:55] This first slide uh has two columns or

[1:08:58] several columns, but uh it summarizes

[1:09:01] the requests that are in your warrant

[1:09:03] for this year. It does not include the

[1:09:05] funding that's requested in articles 42

[1:09:07] and 48, which are the CPC article and

[1:09:09] the citizens petition.

[1:09:12] This compares the requests in in

[1:09:14] articles 40 and 41 with a couple of

[1:09:16] different things. First of all, what

[1:09:17] each department had in their five-year

[1:09:19] plan last year.

[1:09:22] second and how today's requests compare

[1:09:24] to what each department originally told

[1:09:26] us they were going to request when they

[1:09:28] first met with us back in January.

[1:09:30] So, it's typical for department plans to

[1:09:33] change from year to year. And there's

[1:09:35] often a difference between what is being

[1:09:37] requested at town meeting and what was

[1:09:38] originally requested. There's lots of

[1:09:41] numbers on this slide, but there's a

[1:09:42] couple of takeaways that I'd like you to

[1:09:44] have. Yes, the bottom line in article 40

[1:09:46] and 41 is over $2 million,

[1:09:49] but there's some good news. First of

[1:09:51] all, overall capital items in this

[1:09:53] warrant are $3.3 million less than what

[1:09:56] we presented at last year's town

[1:09:57] meeting. In other words, what we thought

[1:09:59] was going to be like a really bad year

[1:10:01] is just a sort of a bad year. I guess I

[1:10:04] would put it that way. Second of all,

[1:10:06] total requests in this year's warrant

[1:10:07] are nearly $1.5 million less than what

[1:10:10] was originally requested back in

[1:10:12] January. I'll have more to say on what

[1:10:14] happened there on our next slide. And uh

[1:10:17] lastly, our recommendations are on the

[1:10:19] last column here in terms of what we're recommending

[1:10:23] for each item.

[1:10:27] So this this slide here gives you a look

[1:10:28] behind the curtain. Uh for those of you

[1:10:30] that have never wanted to attend a

[1:10:32] capital planning meeting, you're

[1:10:33] certainly welcome. They're all public

[1:10:35] meetings. Um and this shows what became

[1:10:38] of those original requests that the

[1:10:40] departments made back in January, but

[1:10:42] that did not appear in in today's

[1:10:43] warrant. last I told you on the last

[1:10:46] slide that those initial requests were

[1:10:47] over $3.9 million

[1:10:50] and after we finished meeting with all

[1:10:52] of the departments um a little over $1.5

[1:10:55] million have been deferred for further

[1:10:57] study delayed or otherwise reconsidered.

[1:11:00] Those are the green numbers on this

[1:11:01] slide. Green be green means good. Um

[1:11:04] there's three big pieces to those uh

[1:11:06] things. First of all, the planning

[1:11:08] department has deferred its study of the

[1:11:10] town center for another year.

[1:11:13] The public works has deferred starting

[1:11:15] construction on the Sbury Road bridge

[1:11:17] project

[1:11:19] and the school district has deferred the

[1:11:21] uh Hail School Boiler project by to by

[1:11:24] looking at different ways to reduce the

[1:11:25] cost of this project.

[1:11:28] Other departments have reduced the size

[1:11:29] of their requests by funding things in

[1:11:32] other ways and I'm sure you're all

[1:11:34] grateful to them for that.

[1:11:36] Uh the not so good news is a total of

[1:11:39] 46,000 was eventually added to the

[1:11:41] request list. That's the red number at

[1:11:42] the bottom of the slide.

[1:11:50] This slide shows our projection of the

[1:11:51] town's 5-year capital outlay program.

[1:11:55] Again, a lot of numbers on this slide.

[1:11:57] Uh f the first column is what's in the

[1:12:00] warrant under articles 40 and 41. The

[1:12:03] next four columns are what the

[1:12:05] departments have told us they expect to

[1:12:06] ask for in the next four years. I'll

[1:12:08] make the usual caveat here that these

[1:12:10] requests for FY28 through FY31 are very

[1:12:12] likely to change. I'll show you some

[1:12:15] more details on the next slide, but um

[1:12:16] over the next few years, capital

[1:12:19] expenses will continue to be higher than

[1:12:21] what we've typically approved and many of these are due to some high

[1:12:25] ticket high budget price items that

[1:12:28] we're going to talk about. Bottom line

[1:12:30] is here that our warrant uh articles

[1:12:34] plus the what's projected to occur over

[1:12:37] the next four years is over $20 million.

[1:12:44] And here are some of those big ticket

[1:12:46] items that I talked about. First of all,

[1:12:47] we have some bridge projects that are

[1:12:49] coming up. The bridge that's uh over the

[1:12:52] Sbury River uh on Sbury Road over the

[1:12:54] Asabet River has a construction cost of

[1:12:57] about $350,000 just for the first phase.

[1:13:02] There's a culvert that takes Elizabeth

[1:13:04] Brook under Wheeler Road and the

[1:13:06] estimated cost to replace that aging

[1:13:09] culvert is over $4.2 million.

[1:13:14] We have another million dollars or so

[1:13:16] that the public works department is is

[1:13:18] earmarking for other culvert replacement

[1:13:20] projects a few years from now. That's an

[1:13:23] estimate. We don't really know exactly

[1:13:24] what those are going to take, but we

[1:13:26] wanted to get something on the books for

[1:13:27] that.

[1:13:29] Also on the list, um once again, the

[1:13:33] Hail School roof is in need of repair.

[1:13:35] The original budget that the uh school

[1:13:37] district gave us for that was over $3.7

[1:13:40] million.

[1:13:42] We're expecting that we're going to be

[1:13:43] able to reduce the cost of that and

[1:13:45] potentially split that over a few years.

[1:13:49] The uh the Hail School also is in need

[1:13:51] of a new boiler plant and new flooring

[1:13:54] to the tune of almost a million dollars

[1:13:56] totaling those two.

[1:13:59] The police department is looking to

[1:14:01] expand into the second floor of the

[1:14:02] police station. That might cost us

[1:14:03] another million dollars.

[1:14:06] There's another uh vehicle replacement

[1:14:09] in the fire department's budget for

[1:14:11] tanker 11. That's threequarters of a

[1:14:13] million dollars.

[1:14:15] And also the public works department is

[1:14:17] looking to request an increase to the uh

[1:14:20] capacity of the highway barn that might

[1:14:21] cost us a half a million dollars. A lot

[1:14:24] of things to consider over the next few

[1:14:26] years.

[1:14:29] Sandy, here's your one-page snapshot of

[1:14:31] the uh capital items. Uh the green bars

[1:14:35] are what you guys have spent money on

[1:14:36] over the last 10 years. This is stuff

[1:14:38] that affects the war uh the the levy

[1:14:40] directly. Uh it's a little bit hard to

[1:14:43] show clearly how much is affected by

[1:14:46] borrowing. So this is just stuff that's

[1:14:47] been paid for out of free cash.

[1:14:50] Um

[1:14:52] the red bar is what's in this year's

[1:14:54] warrant in article 40. That's $867,000.

[1:14:59] And the blue bars are Oh, one more thing

[1:15:02] about the green bars. They don't include

[1:15:04] the money that we spent uh for that was

[1:15:06] funded through ARPA. That's about

[1:15:08] $600,000 over the last I think three years ago. Denise, I can't

[1:15:12] remember exactly when we stopped

[1:15:13] spending ARPA money. Um the black line

[1:15:17] here is the average uh the ro the

[1:15:19] 10-year rolling average of our capital

[1:15:22] expenditures. And um notice that it

[1:15:25] continues to trend up.

[1:15:31] Um, and the blue bars are uh our future.

[1:15:36] Remember I talked a few minutes ago

[1:15:37] about how these uh these large projects,

[1:15:41] some of which are going to be paid for

[1:15:42] out of borrowing, but this is my guess

[1:15:44] as to how much we're going to try to pay

[1:15:45] for out of free cash. It doesn't when we

[1:15:48] look at what's going to be spent out of

[1:15:49] borrowing, it's things like vehicles

[1:15:50] and, you know, other stuff that has a

[1:15:52] longer term picture. So, this does not

[1:15:54] include those blue bars do not include

[1:15:56] the Sorbay Road and Wheeler Road

[1:15:58] projects, the replacement of uh engine

[1:16:01] 11 or the uh DPW and police station

[1:16:04] expansion projects. So, uh I'm here to

[1:16:06] say that the capital expenditure picture

[1:16:08] over the next few years is still not a

[1:16:09] pretty picture and I'd urge you to

[1:16:12] consider this as you uh vote on the next

[1:16:14] two warrant articles. Thank you, Madam

[1:16:16] Moer.

[1:16:17] >> Thank you very much, Mr. Jeleneck. Okay,

[1:16:20] so we're gonna get started here. We're

[1:16:22] going to start with article 40-1

[1:16:25] purchasing tire equipment and related

[1:16:27] equipment and all costs incidental and

[1:16:30] related there too.

[1:16:32] >> Mr. Constanzas.

[1:16:34] >> Madame moderator, I move that the town

[1:16:36] transfer from certified free cash the

[1:16:39] sum of $22,500

[1:16:41] for article 40-1 as printed in the

[1:16:44] warrant to purchase tire equipment and

[1:16:47] related equipment and all costs

[1:16:49] incidental and related there too.

[1:16:51] >> Second. Thank you. We have a motion and

[1:16:53] a second on the floor. Uh the finance

[1:16:55] committee's recommendation is in your

[1:16:57] warrant and capital planning, Mr. Duca.

[1:17:03] Uh Ed Duca, 26 Crescent Street. So the

[1:17:06] um this equipment is going to allow for

[1:17:09] in-house repair and replacement of tires

[1:17:12] on light and medium duty vehicles in the

[1:17:14] town for all the departments and uh will

[1:17:17] reduce downtime and reliance on outside

[1:17:20] vendors. It will improve the fleet um

[1:17:23] fleet maintenance and lower operating

[1:17:25] cost. [snorts] The purchase of this

[1:17:27] equipment um the committee believes will

[1:17:30] it will increase efficiency and uh there

[1:17:33] are strict requirements in addition on

[1:17:35] the tires for police vehicle pursuit

[1:17:37] vehicles which require relatively

[1:17:40] frequent replacement. This is a new

[1:17:42] activity for the department of public

[1:17:44] works. Um the previously this work had

[1:17:47] been contracted out. the uh committee

[1:17:49] passed uh supported this rec um

[1:17:52] [clears throat]

[1:17:53] committee voted to recommend support for

[1:17:55] this article unanimously.

[1:17:57] >> Thank you very much, Mr. Duca. Is there

[1:17:59] any discussion on article 40-1?

[1:18:04] Seeing none, we'll move to a vote. We'll

[1:18:06] be using our cards on this vote. All

[1:18:08] those in favor, please raise your cards.

[1:18:12] Thank you very much. Those opposed,

[1:18:16] we'll take that as a unanimous vote.

[1:18:17] Thank you.

[1:18:23] Moving on to article 40-2, resurfacing

[1:18:26] Evelyn Road, sorry, Evelyn Road

[1:18:29] resurfacing and all costs incidental and

[1:18:32] related there too. Miss Hegman.

[1:18:35] >> Madame moderator, I move that the town

[1:18:38] transfer from certified free cash the

[1:18:40] sum of $70,000 for article 40-2 as

[1:18:43] printed in the warrant for Evelyn Road

[1:18:45] resurfacing and all costs incidental and

[1:18:47] related thereto.

[1:18:49] >> Second.

[1:18:50] >> Thank you. We have a motion and a second

[1:18:52] on the floor and uh the finance

[1:18:54] committee's recommendation is in your

[1:18:55] warrant. Uh capital planning, Mr. Duc.

[1:18:59] uh capital planning voted unanimously to

[1:19:01] recommend support for this article. Uh

[1:19:04] Department of Public Works historically

[1:19:06] is using these funds to uh repave one

[1:19:10] small road every year outside of the

[1:19:12] chapter 90 allocation. Uh this is part

[1:19:15] of a regular uh activity and and

[1:19:17] commonly appears on the uh capital

[1:19:20] article.

[1:19:21] >> Thank you very much. Is there any

[1:19:23] discussion on article 40-2?

[1:19:27] Seeing none, we'll go to cards for

[1:19:29] voting again. Please, if you're in

[1:19:31] favor, please raise your card.

[1:19:34] Thank you very much. Any opposed?

[1:19:37] The mot Oh, the motion passes

[1:19:41] unanimously.

[1:19:47] Moving on to article 40-3

[1:19:50] retrofit motorbank more bank chipper

[1:19:53] with a winch and related equipment and

[1:19:56] all costs incidental and related there

[1:19:58] too. Mr. Peterson.

[1:20:00] >> Madame moderator, I move that the town

[1:20:02] transfer from certified free cash the

[1:20:04] sum of $15,000 for article 40-3 as

[1:20:07] printed in the warrant to retrofit more

[1:20:10] bank chipper with a winch and related

[1:20:12] equipment and all costs incidental and

[1:20:14] related there too.

[1:20:17] >> Thank you very much. We have a motion

[1:20:18] and a second on the floor. Uh the

[1:20:20] finance committee recommendation is in

[1:20:22] your warrant and capital planning, Mr.

[1:20:25] Duca. Thank you. uh capital planning uh

[1:20:27] unanimously voted to recommend support

[1:20:30] for this article. Uh the winch added to

[1:20:32] this chipper uh the chipper was designed

[1:20:35] to have a winch and uh this uh adds the winch that would that should be on

[1:20:41] the chipper. It is a uh speeds up the um

[1:20:45] operational efficiency and is a safety

[1:20:48] measure as well. Thank you.

[1:20:50] >> Thank you. Do we have any discussion on

[1:20:53] article 40-3?

[1:20:56] Seeing none, we'll go to a vote with

[1:20:58] your cards, please. All those in favor,

[1:21:00] please raise your cards.

[1:21:03] Thank you. All those opposed. We'll call

[1:21:06] that a unanimous. Thank you. The motion

[1:21:08] carries.

[1:21:13] Uh, next article 40-4,

[1:21:16] radio systems upgrades and related

[1:21:19] equipment and all costs incidental and

[1:21:21] related there too, Miss Burch Mcichael.

[1:21:25] >> Madame moderator, I move that the town

[1:21:27] transfer from certified free cash the

[1:21:28] sum of $45,000 for article 40-4 as

[1:21:32] printed in the warrant for radio system

[1:21:34] upgrades and related equipment and all

[1:21:36] costs incidental and related there too.

[1:21:38] >> Second.

[1:21:39] >> Thank you. Do we have a motion and a

[1:21:41] second on the floor? Uh the finance

[1:21:43] committee's recommendation is in your

[1:21:45] warrant. Capital planning your

[1:21:47] recommendation.

[1:21:48] >> Uh capital planning uh unanimously

[1:21:51] supported recommendation uh uh voted in

[1:21:54] support of this article. Um so the radio

[1:21:58] system is not the current system uh has

[1:22:01] issues. These are will improve and uh

[1:22:05] eliminate the gaps that are that occur

[1:22:07] in the current system. the committee uh

[1:22:10] wondered whether you know cell phones

[1:22:13] might be used in in place of this. Um

[1:22:16] but that's not really it's it would be a

[1:22:18] more expensive option, not really an

[1:22:20] option because you then have to uh

[1:22:22] purchase and provide cell phones for

[1:22:24] your employees and the people who are

[1:22:26] working for the town. The cell tower on

[1:22:29] Hartley Road will house the repeater and

[1:22:32] uh and so we believe that this is

[1:22:34] actually a cost-effective investment for

[1:22:37] the DPW.

[1:22:39] >> Thank you very much.

[1:22:41] Do we have any discussion on article

[1:22:43] 40-4?

[1:22:46] Seeing none, we'll move to a vote with

[1:22:48] cards.

[1:22:49] >> Oops. I'm sorry.

[1:22:56] Side microphone. Yeah. Hi, U Margaret

[1:22:59] Costello Gleasonale Road. I just want to

[1:23:01] know why we're not using our electronic

[1:23:03] clickers. I think this is intimidating

[1:23:05] using the cards. I would like to vote

[1:23:08] electronically on all the motions,

[1:23:10] please.

[1:23:14] Uh Mr. Moderator, can you help me with

[1:23:15] that one?

[1:23:22] Okay, I'm I'm good. Thank you. So, in

[1:23:25] the interest of expediency and moving

[1:23:27] the meeting along, I chose to go with

[1:23:30] cards on the items that don't create any

[1:23:34] discussion um or controversy in the

[1:23:38] conversation in the audience.

[1:23:43] Do we have any other discussion on

[1:23:44] article 40-4?

[1:23:48] Okay, moving forward, um we'll vote with

[1:23:50] uh our cards again on this one. All

[1:23:53] those in favor?

[1:23:56] Thank you. Those opposed.

[1:24:00] Uh we have um a majority in favor.

[1:24:05] The motion carries. Thank you.

[1:24:09] Uh article 40-5

[1:24:12] purchase windstorm blower and related

[1:24:15] equipment and all costs incidental and

[1:24:17] related there too.

[1:24:20] Mr. Tulle.

[1:24:22] Madame moderator, I move that the town

[1:24:24] transfer from certified free cash the

[1:24:27] sum of $13,000 for article 40-5 as

[1:24:31] printed in the warrant to purchase a

[1:24:33] windstorm blower and related equipment

[1:24:35] and all costs incidental and related

[1:24:38] there too.

[1:24:40] >> Thank you very much. We have a motion

[1:24:41] and a second on the floor. The finance

[1:24:44] committee's recommendation is in your

[1:24:46] warrant. Capital planning your

[1:24:47] recommendation. uh capital planning uh

[1:24:50] voted unanimously to recommend support

[1:24:52] for this article. So the issue here is

[1:24:55] uh previously the department or

[1:24:58] currently the department is uh renting

[1:25:01] uh this type of equipment for the town.

[1:25:04] Uh the argument is made that the

[1:25:06] purchasing the equipment will in improve

[1:25:08] efficiency and be cost effective more

[1:25:11] cost-effective than repeated rentals and

[1:25:14] will provide a reliable tool for

[1:25:15] cleaning leaves, deb debris and storm

[1:25:18] related material. Uh the committee

[1:25:21] discussed this uh it is a new piece of

[1:25:23] equipment. So we the committee weighed

[1:25:25] the relative merits of continuing to

[1:25:27] rent with no need for required

[1:25:29] maintenance against ownership. uh the

[1:25:32] additional cost savings was noted and

[1:25:34] the flexibility associated with having

[1:25:36] the blower at hand uh could prove in uh

[1:25:39] helpful to the department. So that that

[1:25:41] was why we voted in favor of

[1:25:44] >> Thank you very much support.

[1:25:45] >> Is there any discuss discussion on

[1:25:47] motion 40-5?

[1:25:49] >> Hi Sandy Taff from 303 Redacre Road.

[1:25:52] What is a windstorm blower actually and

[1:25:55] can we use that on our own property? Uh,

[1:25:59] Miss Demkowski, would you like to

[1:26:00] address that?

[1:26:02] >> Oh, Ed, thank you.

[1:26:03] >> Um, yes. So, this is a a large uh piece

[1:26:07] of equipment for uh blowing debris uh

[1:26:12] off the road into an area where they

[1:26:15] could be collected and removed. So, it

[1:26:18] is the sort of large wheeled version of

[1:26:23] what you might have as a uh a uh a

[1:26:26] blower for your leaves in the fall.

[1:26:28] >> In all seriousness, is this something

[1:26:30] like the library where we can go and

[1:26:32] take out a piece of equipment to use

[1:26:33] that for? [laughter]

[1:26:36] >> Um, I don't believe that the DPW is a

[1:26:40] rental department.

[1:26:42] >> That was your follow-up question.

[1:26:46] Thank you very much. Is there any other

[1:26:48] discussion on article 40-5?

[1:26:52] Seeing none, we're going to use our

[1:26:53] cards to vote on this. Would uh all in

[1:26:56] favor please raise your cards.

[1:27:00] Thank you very much. All those opposed.

[1:27:04] We'll call that a majority vote. Thank

[1:27:05] you very much.

[1:27:11] Article 40-6 add card readers to

[1:27:14] interior doors at PMPO and related

[1:27:18] equipment and all costs incidental and

[1:27:20] related there too.

[1:27:22] >> Excuse me, Mr. Castanzas. Madame

[1:27:25] moderator, I move that the town transfer

[1:27:27] from certified free cash the sum of

[1:27:30] $30,000 for article 40-6

[1:27:33] as printed in the warrant to add card

[1:27:36] readers to interior doors at PMPO and

[1:27:38] related equipment and all costs

[1:27:40] incidental and related there too.

[1:27:43] >> Thank you. We have a motion and a second

[1:27:45] on the floor. Uh the finance committee's

[1:27:47] recommendation is in your warrant.

[1:27:50] Capital planning, Mr. Chelan. Madam

[1:27:52] moderator, Capital Planning voted

[1:27:54] unanimously to recommend the town

[1:27:56] support this funding request, which

[1:27:57] authorizes funds for the facilities

[1:27:59] department to use to expand the number

[1:28:01] of interior doors at the Pompo Community

[1:28:03] Center that are equipped with electronic

[1:28:05] key card readers. This project is

[1:28:07] intended to improve security at the

[1:28:09] center by ensuring that access to

[1:28:11] certain critical rooms will only be

[1:28:13] provided to authorized users.

[1:28:16] >> Thank you very much. Is there any

[1:28:17] discussion on article 40-6?

[1:28:21] Madam moderator, Tom,

[1:28:22] >> the side microphone,

[1:28:24] >> Tom Ryan, 453 Great Road.

[1:28:27] >> Um, we're spending an awful lot of

[1:28:29] money. I think keys are probably fairly

[1:28:32] adequate for something like this and I

[1:28:34] would suggest we vote no on this

[1:28:36] article.

[1:28:38] >> Thank you.

[1:28:40] Front microphone,

[1:28:41] >> Pam Weathers, 89 West Actton Road. And I

[1:28:45] am concerned because these things fail.

[1:28:48] I've been in situations where they

[1:28:49] failed where I work and then you're

[1:28:52] stuck. And so I agree. I don't think we

[1:28:55] need them. I think a key makes a lot

[1:28:57] more sense.

[1:28:59] >> Miss Demkowski, would you care to

[1:29:01] address this?

[1:29:02] >> Yes. So we are looking for the

[1:29:04] electronic card readers for a number of

[1:29:05] reasons. Um we have added them to the

[1:29:09] library, the town building, police

[1:29:11] station, the fire station, and the

[1:29:13] exterior doors at PMPO. Uh, one of the

[1:29:15] difficulties we have at PMPO is a number

[1:29:17] of people still have keys that used to

[1:29:18] work there um or that um have had

[1:29:22] programs or events there. Uh, the

[1:29:24] electronic card readers would allow us

[1:29:26] to digitally unlock the doors if someone

[1:29:28] is renting space from us so we don't

[1:29:29] have to provide them keys. And if we

[1:29:32] give a swipe card, we know who's in the

[1:29:34] building and when. Uh we've had a number

[1:29:36] of instances over the last few months

[1:29:37] that um staff or folks are being in are

[1:29:40] in the building um for their own event

[1:29:43] after hours and people walk in, they

[1:29:45] wander around uh and frankly it's not

[1:29:47] safe. Uh we run an afterchool program.

[1:29:49] There are kids there and to have every

[1:29:52] access point available is just something

[1:29:54] that we're not comfortable with. We'd

[1:29:55] like to increase the security and the

[1:29:58] controls there.

[1:30:00] >> Thank you. Side microphone.

[1:30:04] I'm thinking um Debbie Woods great road

[1:30:07] thank you madam moderator so these are

[1:30:10] for I'm 100% support agree with external

[1:30:14] doors these are for internal doors for

[1:30:17] example going into the cafetorium going

[1:30:20] into room 121 and things like that I am

[1:30:24] a frequent user of pompo and there have

[1:30:27] been multiple issues of not being

[1:30:30] provided either the code or a card to go

[1:30:33] in and have been standing out as Miss

[1:30:36] Weathers um said in the cold not being

[1:30:40] able to go in. This to me is just going

[1:30:42] to increase that outside doors

[1:30:44] absolutely positively. Internal doors I

[1:30:46] am questioning that expense for that. I

[1:30:49] think it's going to cause more issues

[1:30:50] than than solve.

[1:30:52] >> Miss Demkowski.

[1:30:54] >> Yes. So that's understandable. Um, like

[1:30:56] any system, we have dealt with our

[1:30:58] growing pains with facilities being able

[1:31:00] to unlock the doors or get um,

[1:31:01] information about who was using the

[1:31:03] space. Uh, we actually have them on a

[1:31:05] number of the interior doors at PMPO

[1:31:06] now. Um, and this was just a request

[1:31:09] brought forward by a number of the staff

[1:31:11] and facilities just again to keep

[1:31:13] security. Um, as you know because you

[1:31:16] are a frequent user, the building has

[1:31:18] been vandalized a number of times over

[1:31:19] the last six months. People have gotten

[1:31:20] into spaces they shouldn't be. when

[1:31:22] there's other programs in say the

[1:31:23] function room, they've gotten into 120,

[1:31:26] 125 and actually damaged TVs, the sinks,

[1:31:29] the bathrooms. Um, so nothing is ideal

[1:31:32] and we are hoping that this actually

[1:31:34] improves our um ability to let you into

[1:31:38] the space that you need to but still

[1:31:39] keep everyone safe and the building

[1:31:41] secure. along with this to those points

[1:31:44] because I know the building department

[1:31:46] is overwhelmed. I think a very clear

[1:31:49] policy and procedure needs to be in

[1:31:50] place before this kind of expenditure is um approved.

[1:31:54] >> Thank you, Miss Woods.

[1:31:56] >> Front microphone.

[1:31:57] >> Tom Porch, Reder Road. Um I'm wondering

[1:32:00] how many locks this actually applies to.

[1:32:05] >> Miss Demkowski, I know you're looking it

[1:32:07] up.

[1:32:17] Yeah, sure. Uh, side microphone. Mr.

[1:32:19] Ryan,

[1:32:20] >> Tom Ryan, great road. Another comment on

[1:32:24] this. Um, as many of you know, I've been

[1:32:27] on a number of boards and committees

[1:32:29] over the years. I never saw any problems

[1:32:34] uh over all those years with just key

[1:32:38] access. One of the things that's

[1:32:40] happened in the last couple years is oh

[1:32:44] golly gee, somebody forgets to program

[1:32:47] the door when um the board of assessors

[1:32:52] is there and guess what? We end up

[1:32:55] having to prop the door open because we

[1:32:58] don't have a key to unlock it. In order

[1:33:01] to make sure that we've got a legal

[1:33:03] meeting, we have to prop the door open.

[1:33:05] If we had a key, that wouldn't be

[1:33:07] necessary.

[1:33:09] >> Thank you.

[1:33:09] >> I believe in keys,

[1:33:11] >> Miss Demoski.

[1:33:13] >> So, may I comment on that quickly first?

[1:33:15] >> Yes, sure.

[1:33:15] >> Um, so we actually provide access to all

[1:33:17] the department heads, but those that

[1:33:19] refuse to use their cell phone for

[1:33:21] access don't have the ability to lock

[1:33:23] and unlock the doors. So, the department

[1:33:24] heads that don't want to use the the

[1:33:26] electronic locks have to prop the door

[1:33:28] open. Um, I don't have the number. I'm

[1:33:30] sorry. I don't have the number of doors

[1:33:31] in front of me.

[1:33:33] >> Any any summary of any guess?

[1:33:36] >> So, as I said, we did do a number of the

[1:33:38] doors already. Um, this would do, I

[1:33:40] believe, the function room. Uh, one the room right behind the front desk,

[1:33:45] the two rooms in the back. Um, and I

[1:33:48] think the COA the front access to the

[1:33:50] COA space um because the other doors

[1:33:52] already have it. So, we're talking about

[1:33:54] less than 10 locks.

[1:33:56] >> Yes.

[1:33:56] >> At at a cost of over $3,000 each.

[1:33:59] >> It's the wiring that that is required.

[1:34:01] Yes.

[1:34:04] >> Thank you. Side microphone.

[1:34:07] >> Good morning. Mark Groomman, Elmidge

[1:34:09] Road. I just wanted to ask a clarifying

[1:34:11] question. I believe the planning

[1:34:12] committee talked about additional doors

[1:34:14] that are being put in. Could somebody

[1:34:15] please clarify that?

[1:34:18] >> Miss Demkowski.

[1:34:22] I'm sorry. I don't I didn't understand

[1:34:23] your question.

[1:34:24] >> Please repeat.

[1:34:25] >> I was under the impression that one of

[1:34:27] the comments was that additional doors

[1:34:28] are being put in as as part of this

[1:34:30] work. Is that is that not the case? Did

[1:34:32] I misunderstand?

[1:34:32] >> No, this is additional door locks being

[1:34:35] put on. So, the doors are there. We

[1:34:37] already did a phase that we put the door

[1:34:38] locks on a number of doors. This is

[1:34:40] additional doors to be added.

[1:34:42] >> Thank you. You're welcome.

[1:34:44] >> Is there any further discussion?

[1:34:48] Seeing none, we'll go Oh, sorry. Go

[1:34:50] ahead.

[1:34:51] Deputy Woods, Great Road. I'm confused.

[1:34:54] I'm really confused. Um, given this last

[1:34:57] comment of we're now Oh, great road.

[1:35:00] Thank you, ma madam moderator. We're

[1:35:02] asking for $30,000 for additional

[1:35:06] security for doors. Yet, I heard that if

[1:35:10] a person is not willing to utilize their

[1:35:13] cell phone, they have to prop the door

[1:35:15] open.

[1:35:18] What? I'm now

[1:35:21] So, is this $30,000 now going to cause

[1:35:24] or create a different type of security

[1:35:27] issue? Because, as a town administrator

[1:35:29] said, you got to prop the door open

[1:35:30] because you have to have an open

[1:35:31] meeting. So, I'm now very confused

[1:35:34] whether this $30,000 is for the better

[1:35:37] or not for the better. And the other

[1:35:40] comment I'd like to make is the um

[1:35:43] vandalism that was mentioned. The

[1:35:46] understanding is that that happened

[1:35:47] during the day and lack of supervision

[1:35:51] versus security. So let's not let's not

[1:35:54] confuse things.

[1:35:56] >> Do you have any response, Miss Demoski?

[1:35:58] >> I do. So first on the vandalism, I must

[1:36:00] have missed that police report that

[1:36:02] stated we had the police investigate

[1:36:03] that. They did not determine it was

[1:36:05] during the day. Uh they believe it

[1:36:06] happened after hours or overnight. Um,

[1:36:09] as far as the doors, PMPO is not readily

[1:36:12] utilized for public meetings. It's for

[1:36:14] people renting out space. It's for

[1:36:16] quilting classes. It's for private

[1:36:18] events. Um, the staff, while the

[1:36:21] building is open during the day, have

[1:36:22] free access to all of that space. This

[1:36:24] is after hours for people that are not

[1:36:25] employees of the town, are not covered

[1:36:27] by the town's insurance, going in there

[1:36:29] and renting spaces from us.

[1:36:32] >> Thank you.

[1:36:34] Do we have any further discussion on

[1:36:36] article 40-6?

[1:36:39] Seeing none, we're going to go to a vote

[1:36:41] and we're going to use our clickers on

[1:36:42] this one.

[1:36:46] Voting will be open for 15 seconds and

[1:36:49] begins now.

[1:37:18] Okay, with a vote of 72 in favor, 79

[1:37:22] against,

[1:37:27] and three abstensions, the article 40-6

[1:37:32] fails.

[1:37:40] Okay. On to article 40-7,

[1:37:43] new and upgraded security cameras and

[1:37:46] related equipment and all costs

[1:37:48] incidental and related thereto. Miss

[1:37:50] Hegman. Madame moderator, I move that

[1:37:53] the town transfer from certified free

[1:37:55] cash the sum of $45,000 for article

[1:37:58] 40-7.

[1:38:02] Madame moderator, I move that the town

[1:38:05] transfer from certified free cash the

[1:38:07] sum of $45,000 for article 40-7 as

[1:38:11] printed in the warrant

[1:38:14] for new and upgraded security cameras

[1:38:16] and related equipment and all costs

[1:38:18] incidental and related thereto.

[1:38:22] Thank you. We have a motion and a second

[1:38:23] on the floor. Uh the finance committee's

[1:38:25] recommendation is in your warrant and

[1:38:28] capital planning your recommendation.

[1:38:30] Madam moderator, the facilities manager

[1:38:33] reports that some of the exterior

[1:38:34] security cameras at the PMPO community

[1:38:36] center and fire station have failed and

[1:38:39] that the current camera systems do not

[1:38:41] provide good coverage of the interior

[1:38:43] spaces. Accordingly, he is requesting

[1:38:45] these funds to install new interior

[1:38:48] security cameras and to upgrade the

[1:38:50] exterior cameras.

[1:38:52] Recognizing that a robust camera system

[1:38:54] is a vital component of the systems used

[1:38:56] to protect the building and the

[1:38:58] employees and residents who use it,

[1:39:00] Capital Planning therefore voted

[1:39:01] unanimously to recommend the town

[1:39:03] support this request.

[1:39:05] >> Thank you very much.

[1:39:08] We have a motion and a second on the

[1:39:09] floor. Any discussion?

[1:39:12] Side microphone. Madam moderator, I

[1:39:15] would recommend that we not support this

[1:39:18] article. I think we've got plenty of

[1:39:22] security cameras around. I could see

[1:39:24] some replacing some of them, but where

[1:39:27] they're talking about now adding them to

[1:39:30] the interior of the building. Come on.

[1:39:34] We've got enough. We've got we're

[1:39:36] already turning into a, you know, a

[1:39:39] society where everybody's watching

[1:39:41] everybody all the time. I think enough

[1:39:43] is enough.

[1:39:45] >> Miss Demkowski,

[1:39:47] do you have a response or

[1:39:49] >> um comment?

[1:39:51] >> No, it's this is a request from

[1:39:52] facilities again and staff saying that

[1:39:54] they feel they need more security. Uh

[1:39:56] the fire department has expressed an

[1:39:58] interest in their external cameras as

[1:39:59] well as the external cameras around the

[1:40:01] building. Uh my understanding is the

[1:40:03] interior cameras were to be at the

[1:40:05] access points um again because of the

[1:40:08] vandalism and concerns that we've had

[1:40:09] with people being in the building when

[1:40:10] there are students and employees in

[1:40:13] there.

[1:40:14] >> Thank you. Front microphone

[1:40:16] >> Pam Weathers 89 West Actton Road. I have

[1:40:19] a concern about where and I would really

[1:40:22] like assurance on this and also on 40-18

[1:40:26] for these security cameras. Where's this

[1:40:28] information going? I am very concerned

[1:40:30] about the lack of privacy and how this

[1:40:34] uh software starts to go nationally and

[1:40:37] we are surveiled then by something like

[1:40:40] a system like Flock and I would like

[1:40:42] assurance that that is not going to

[1:40:44] happen because I want that in the

[1:40:46] written record or I vote no on this.

[1:40:49] >> Miss Demoski, do you have um information

[1:40:51] on that?

[1:40:53] Uh, the cameras for the PMPO Community

[1:40:55] Center are run to a server that is

[1:40:57] housed in a locked room in the fire

[1:40:59] department. They are not in the cloud.

[1:41:01] It is server based and it is onsite.

[1:41:05] >> Thank you. Side microphone.

[1:41:07] >> Hi, Nancy Arsenal, 267 Readyacre Road.

[1:41:10] Um, the article just states um,

[1:41:13] facilities, so it doesn't say fire

[1:41:15] department or PMPO or whatever. So, I'm

[1:41:17] just really wondering how specific these

[1:41:20] uses are, and if it includes the cameras

[1:41:23] that are at conservation property,

[1:41:25] parking lots, stuff like that, like

[1:41:27] they're just all over. I think it would

[1:41:29] be helpful to know where are these

[1:41:31] cameras, what's being collected, and how

[1:41:33] is it being used.

[1:41:36] >> Mowski,

[1:41:37] >> it says facilities because that's the

[1:41:39] department that requested the funds. Um,

[1:41:41] the facilities department oversees the

[1:41:43] buildings. Uh, as was mentioned in the

[1:41:46] capital presentation, this is for the

[1:41:47] PMPO community center, which is the

[1:41:49] community center side and the fire

[1:41:50] department side.

[1:41:52] >> Thank you. Front microphone, Mr. Duca,

[1:41:55] >> uh, at Duca, 26 Crescent Street. Uh, one

[1:41:58] of the item, one of the issues that did

[1:42:00] come up in our discussions was that the

[1:42:02] town needs uh, policies related to their

[1:42:05] camera systems. Uh, that the storage

[1:42:08] needs to be encrypted. the int the

[1:42:10] retention time for the images for all

[1:42:12] the cameras need to be set based on what

[1:42:15] is the why you're putting the camera

[1:42:17] there and the access to the data that is

[1:42:20] stored need to be restricted and

[1:42:22] controlled. So I think that was you know

[1:42:24] implicit within our recommendation was a

[1:42:27] discussion that there would be a town

[1:42:30] policy related to camera images and

[1:42:33] their storage retention and control.

[1:42:36] >> Thank you for that clarification. side

[1:42:38] microphone.

[1:42:39] >> Tom Ryan, great road. Um, one of the

[1:42:43] things is even the motion for this

[1:42:45] article doesn't doesn't actually specify

[1:42:47] where they're for. Is this could this

[1:42:50] money be used to put cameras somewhere

[1:42:52] else other than where it's being said?

[1:42:56] That being said, I still say no. This is

[1:43:00] $45,000 that we could potentially use

[1:43:02] somewhere else. If we don't spend it,

[1:43:05] guess what? Maybe our taxes won't go up

[1:43:07] as much.

[1:43:10] >> Side microphone.

[1:43:13] » Debbie Woods. Great road. As with the

[1:43:16] previous article,

[1:43:19] I'm sure some of this is required, but

[1:43:21] before we spend $45,000

[1:43:24] to Mr. to Luca's point and to capital

[1:43:26] planning point, policies and procedures

[1:43:28] should be in place to know where um

[1:43:31] information is being stored and how long

[1:43:33] before we just make that problem worse.

[1:43:35] So I would I would recommend tableabling

[1:43:38] not tableling this voting no on this

[1:43:39] until those policies and procedures are

[1:43:41] in place.

[1:43:42] >> Thank you very much. Is there any

[1:43:45] further discussion on article 40-7? Oh,

[1:43:48] side microphone.

[1:43:49] >> Charlie Erensson Arbor Glen Drive. Full

[1:43:52] disclosure, I'm a member of the Council

[1:43:55] on Aging Board, but I'm speaking as an

[1:43:57] individual. I spent a lot of time at

[1:44:00] this senior center and in discussions

[1:44:04] with other people there at lunch and in

[1:44:07] other activities, a lot of seniors

[1:44:09] expressed a lot of concern about their

[1:44:11] security in the center because of the

[1:44:14] lack of

[1:44:16] security equipment. Um, so I would

[1:44:20] suggest that we do vote for this

[1:44:22] article. Thank you. Thank you very much.

[1:44:25] Any further discussion on article 40-7?

[1:44:29] All right, we'll move to a vote. We're

[1:44:30] going to use our clickers for this one.

[1:44:34] Voting will be open for 15 seconds and

[1:44:36] you may vote now.

[1:44:54] And voting is closed.

[1:44:57] With a vote of 63 in favor, 94 opposed,

[1:45:01] three abstensions. This motion fails.

[1:45:10] Article 40-8.

[1:45:13] Paint the old town hall 375 Great Road

[1:45:16] and all costs and incidental and all

[1:45:19] costs incidental and related thereto.

[1:45:22] Mr. Peterson,

[1:45:24] >> Madame moderator, I move that the town

[1:45:26] transfer from certified free cash the

[1:45:28] sum of 49,375

[1:45:32] for article 40-8 as printed in the

[1:45:34] warrant to paint the old town hall 375

[1:45:37] Great Road and all costs incidental and

[1:45:40] related there too.

[1:45:43] Thank you. We have a motion and a second

[1:45:44] on the floor. Do we have any dis Oh,

[1:45:46] sorry. Um, finance finance committee's

[1:45:50] recommendation is in your warrant

[1:45:52] capital planning. Mr. Jeleneck,

[1:45:53] >> madam moderator, for nearly 180 years,

[1:45:56] the old town hall has stood proudly in

[1:45:58] the center of town. The majority of that

[1:46:00] time serving as the seat of our town

[1:46:02] government. How this historic Greek

[1:46:05] revival structure can best suit the

[1:46:07] town's needs going forward has been an

[1:46:08] ongoing question since the town building

[1:46:10] was constructed in 1989. This has

[1:46:13] notably included the study that was

[1:46:15] undertaken starting in 2019 using CPA

[1:46:17] funds to assess the town's structural

[1:46:19] condition and to chart a courts for its

[1:46:22] future. For a variety of reasons,

[1:46:24] regrettably that future remains

[1:46:26] unresolved.

[1:46:28] With this being New England, however,

[1:46:30] Mother Nature is not waiting for us to

[1:46:32] decide what comes next. Her elements

[1:46:34] continue to challenge the building's

[1:46:36] exterior, which was last painted 13

[1:46:38] years ago. The facilities manager feels

[1:46:41] it would be imprudent to further delay

[1:46:43] making an investment in the preservation

[1:46:44] of the exterior of this pillar of town

[1:46:46] history, and capital planning concurs

[1:46:49] with this judgment on the matter.

[1:46:50] Accordingly, we voted unanimously to

[1:46:52] recommend the town support this request.

[1:46:56] Thank you very much. Do we have any

[1:46:59] discussion on article 40-8 s front

[1:47:02] microphone?

[1:47:04] Madame moderator, Linda Hathway, 76

[1:47:06] Crescent Street. I'd like to amend the

[1:47:09] um motion to say historic town hall.

[1:47:23] Um, do

[1:47:35] » Okay. Um, do we have an amendment form

[1:47:38] prepared?

[1:48:00] Okay,

[1:48:01] we have a motion on the floor to amend

[1:48:05] article 40-8 to read painting the

[1:48:09] historic town hall at 375 Great Road. Do

[1:48:12] we have a second?

[1:48:13] >> Second.

[1:48:15] Okay, we'll move to a vote on adding

[1:48:17] that word. This is not a vote on the

[1:48:20] painting project. And we'll use our

[1:48:22] cards for that. All those in favor,

[1:48:25] please raise your cards.

[1:48:27] All those opposed.

[1:48:30] We'll call that a majority vote in favor

[1:48:32] of changing the word old to historic.

[1:48:36] So, returning to discussion on article

[1:48:39] 40-8, painting the historic town hall.

[1:48:41] Any discussion? Um, I'm not sure who

[1:48:44] approached the mic first. We'll go with

[1:48:46] the front mic.

[1:48:48] >> Andy Durr, 35 Harvard Broad. I'm a

[1:48:52] retired carpenter with 43 years in the

[1:48:54] trade. Any delayed painting is going to

[1:48:59] re increase our costs in future years.

[1:49:04] We should do this soon.

[1:49:07] >> Thank you. Side mic.

[1:49:09] >> Hi, I'm Kelly Lawler. I live at 170

[1:49:12] Hudson Road. Um I do do some

[1:49:14] volunteering for the Stow Historical

[1:49:16] Society and I just think we should vote

[1:49:18] in favor of painting the historic town

[1:49:21] hall. Um this is the 250 anniversary and

[1:49:25] many other towns have created

[1:49:26] commissions to better celebrate our

[1:49:29] 250th collectively as a country and the

[1:49:31] local impact that we've made here. Um,

[1:49:33] so I think it's really important that we do this now and that we focus on

[1:49:38] celebrating our history in the future.

[1:49:40] >> Thank you very much, Miss Demoski.

[1:49:43] >> I just like to add a comment. Um, so I

[1:49:45] just want to add that this cost, the

[1:49:47] 49,375

[1:49:49] includes powerwashing the building,

[1:49:51] fixing woodwork as they find it,

[1:49:52] repairing the window sills. So this is

[1:49:54] more than just painting. They will do

[1:49:55] upkeep necessary to maintain the

[1:49:57] building.

[1:49:58] >> Thank you for that clarification. Uh,

[1:50:00] front microphone. Uh Kathleen Pavlech

[1:50:02] Golden Road, is there any possibility

[1:50:04] that uh community presentation funds

[1:50:06] could be used for this cost?

[1:50:08] >> Miss Dowski,

[1:50:12] » there could uh facilities decided to put

[1:50:14] it through as an article request instead

[1:50:16] of community preservation.

[1:50:18] >> Could we accept this motion amendment or

[1:50:24] whatever warrant article and then fund

[1:50:27] it from CBC if that's a possibility?

[1:50:31] or would that require some kind of an

[1:50:32] amendment to have that as an option

[1:50:35] alternate funding?

[1:50:38] >> Uh, Miss Decausski,

[1:50:39] >> that would require meetings of the

[1:50:40] community preservation committee and a

[1:50:42] formal vote. So, it could not be done

[1:50:45] based on a vote here today.

[1:50:47] >> Thank you.

[1:50:49] >> Side microphone,

[1:50:53] » Carol Strade, 20 Mitchell Road in Stow.

[1:50:56] Um, I have a question as far as how you

[1:50:59] come up with the number for the cost of

[1:51:02] this. I definitely am for preserving a

[1:51:05] historical site in Stow. I just don't

[1:51:07] know if it's been put out to bid, if

[1:51:09] you've gotten several bids. Um, if you

[1:51:13] uh just have how you've come to the sum,

[1:51:17] I guess I have a question. How you've

[1:51:18] come to the sum,

[1:51:20] >> Miss Dowski?

[1:51:21] >> Yes. So, this is based on a true

[1:51:22] estimate u a true quote that we have to

[1:51:24] do this. This is the lowest quote that

[1:51:26] we have.

[1:51:27] >> And um can you can you just um tell me

[1:51:30] how many quotes that you received?

[1:51:33] >> I don't know how many the facilities

[1:51:34] department received when they submitted

[1:51:35] the request. By law, we are required to

[1:51:37] take the lowest responsive and

[1:51:39] responsible bidder and that was this

[1:51:40] price. So that's what he put forward.

[1:51:42] >> Okay. Thank you.

[1:51:43] >> Thank you. Front mic.

[1:51:45] >> Lisa Fierce, 284 Redacre Road. Um I

[1:51:49] assume but just wanted to clarify what

[1:51:51] color are you planning to paint the old

[1:51:53] town hall the historic town hall.

[1:51:57] >> It will be white. Thank you.

[1:52:01] >> Side microphone.

[1:52:04] >> Oh okay. Front microphone.

[1:52:06] >> Morin Crawford Harvard Road. I am

[1:52:08] speaking as the chairman of the CPC

[1:52:10] board.

[1:52:13] Maintenance work cannot fall under the

[1:52:16] CPCA or the CPA. Restoration may fall

[1:52:20] under an application. However,

[1:52:23] there is more of a need, immediate need

[1:52:26] to do this work. The applications to the

[1:52:30] CPC

[1:52:31] closed on the 1 of December. So any

[1:52:34] needed work could not be done or

[1:52:37] application submitted until the 1st of

[1:52:39] December and then it couldn't be

[1:52:41] presented until next year's town

[1:52:43] meeting. So that would give us an entire

[1:52:46] year's delay for this work.

[1:52:48] >> Thank you for that clarification.

[1:52:50] Any further discussion?

[1:52:54] Oh, one more

[1:52:56] >> front microphone.

[1:52:59] >> Melissa Rollins, 18 carriage lane. I

[1:53:02] would just like some clarification on

[1:53:04] where we stand with the future of the

[1:53:06] historic town hall. Uh my understanding

[1:53:10] is there is not a current committee

[1:53:12] investigating uses for this and I'm

[1:53:15] wondering about spending and spending to maintain this building

[1:53:19] with no plans for use for it.

[1:53:22] >> Mr. Demkowski.

[1:53:26] » So over the last iteration of surveys,

[1:53:28] the town overwhelmingly wanted to

[1:53:30] maintain that building. Um the there was

[1:53:33] a desire to keep it uh with the unknown

[1:53:36] of what to do with it. Um I think this

[1:53:38] would be the next step to actually

[1:53:39] maintain the building, keep it in good

[1:53:41] shape. Everyone comments on it as it's

[1:53:43] in the center of our town. Um there is

[1:53:46] no committee to figure out what to do

[1:53:48] with it yet. That is in progress. It

[1:53:50] just hasn't happened. But the

[1:53:51] overwhelming sense of the community was

[1:53:52] they wanted to keep this building and

[1:53:54] maintain it as a historic property.

[1:53:58] » How do we go about um moving forward to

[1:54:01] establish a committee to figure out

[1:54:05] what's going to happen with this empty

[1:54:06] building?

[1:54:07] >> It is on my plan. I just haven't had

[1:54:10] time. [laughter]

[1:54:11] Thank you.

[1:54:13] >> Thank you very much. Any further

[1:54:15] discussion? Okay, we'll move to a vote.

[1:54:18] We'll use cards on this one.

[1:54:20] Uh, all those in favor of the repainting

[1:54:23] of the historic town hall,

[1:54:26] thank you very much. Those opposed,

[1:54:30] thank you. We'll call that a majority

[1:54:31] pass.

[1:54:36] Uh, moving on to article 40-9,

[1:54:39] purchase new turnout gear and related

[1:54:42] equipment and all costs incidental and

[1:54:44] related there too. Miss Birch Mcichael.

[1:54:47] Madame moderator, I move that the town

[1:54:49] transfer from certified free cash the

[1:54:51] sum of $41,000 for article 40-9 as

[1:54:54] printed in the warrant to purchase new

[1:54:56] turnout gear and related equipment and

[1:54:58] all costs incidental and related there

[1:55:00] too.

[1:55:02] >> Thank you. We have a motion and a second

[1:55:04] on the floor. The finance committee's

[1:55:06] recommendation is in your warrant.

[1:55:08] Capital planning your recommendation.

[1:55:11] >> Uh capital planning unanimously

[1:55:13] recommended support for this article. Uh

[1:55:15] the additional turnout gear is a uh for

[1:55:19] each full-time member of which there are

[1:55:20] seven uh is required by the contract

[1:55:23] with the union and we support fulfilling

[1:55:26] that contract.

[1:55:27] >> Thank you very much. Do we have any

[1:55:29] discussion on article 40-9?

[1:55:33] Seeing none, we'll move to a vote. We'll

[1:55:35] be using Oh, I'm sorry.

[1:55:40] Front microphone.

[1:55:41] >> Ros Anthony, 35 Harvard Road. What is

[1:55:44] turnout gear?

[1:55:46] Miss Debkowski or Mr. Duca.

[1:55:51] >> It is the protective gear that

[1:55:53] firefighters wear going into a fire

[1:55:54] scene or on site. You see the coats, the

[1:55:56] pants, it is their protective gear.

[1:55:58] >> Oh, I like them having that. So do we.

[1:56:03] >> Thank you. Any further discussion?

[1:56:06] All right, we'll move to voting with

[1:56:07] cards. All those in favor, please raise

[1:56:09] your cards.

[1:56:11] Thank you very much. Those opposed,

[1:56:14] we'll call that unanimous. Thank you

[1:56:16] very much.

[1:56:20] Article 40-10,

[1:56:23] purchase new Hail Middle School

[1:56:25] scoreboard and related equipment and all

[1:56:27] costs incidental and related there too.

[1:56:31] Mr. Tulle,

[1:56:32] >> Madame moderator, I move no action on

[1:56:35] article 40-10.

[1:56:39] » Thank you. Um, we have a motion and a

[1:56:42] second on the floor. Um, Miss Demoski,

[1:56:44] would you like to address this no action

[1:56:46] motion?

[1:56:48] >> Uh, certainly. Um, the article request

[1:56:52] came in. It went before capital and the

[1:56:54] finance committee. They both chose not

[1:56:55] to move it forward at this time. They

[1:56:57] would like to see an alternative method

[1:56:59] to funding for this perhaps the uh

[1:57:01] organizations that use the scoreboard.

[1:57:03] So, they recommended not favorable

[1:57:06] action. I did speak with the school

[1:57:07] department and they were in support of

[1:57:08] moving no action.

[1:57:10] >> Thank you very much. Um finance

[1:57:11] committee, do you have any comment on

[1:57:13] the recommendation of no action?

[1:57:18] » Oh, thank you. Um and capital planning

[1:57:21] your recommendation?

[1:57:22] >> Uh capital planning met this morning and

[1:57:24] voted to support no action.

[1:57:26] >> Thank you very much. Um a no action

[1:57:28] motion still requires a vote. So, all

[1:57:31] those in favor of no action on article

[1:57:34] 40-10, raise your cards. Thank you very

[1:57:37] much. Those opposed,

[1:57:40] we'll call that unanimous. Thank you.

[1:57:46] Article 40-11,

[1:57:49] Hail Fire alarm control panel and all

[1:57:52] equipment and all costs incidental and

[1:57:55] related there too. Mr. Constanzos.

[1:57:58] >> Madame moderator, I move that the town

[1:58:00] transfer from certified free cash a sum

[1:58:03] of $100,000 for article 40-11 as printed

[1:58:07] in the warrant for Hill Middle School

[1:58:09] fire alarm control panel and related

[1:58:12] equipment and all costs incidental and

[1:58:14] related there too.

[1:58:16] >> Thank you. We have a motion and a second

[1:58:18] on the floor. The finance committee

[1:58:20] recommendation is in your warrant and

[1:58:22] capital planning your recommendation.

[1:58:24] Uh, Capital Planning unanimously voted

[1:58:27] to support a recommendation for this

[1:58:29] article. Uh, the fire alarm control

[1:58:31] panel is nearing its end of useful life

[1:58:34] and is going to it's difficult to find

[1:58:36] replacement parts if something breaks.

[1:58:38] Uh, this is a basic safety feature for

[1:58:40] the building and it needs to be in good

[1:58:42] working order and it needs to be

[1:58:44] maintainable.

[1:58:45] >> Thank you very much. Do we have any

[1:58:48] discussion on article 40-11? We do.

[1:58:53] front microphone.

[1:58:56] >> Mark Groomman, Elmbridge Road. Uh, I

[1:58:57] just wanted to clarification because I

[1:58:59] know that there was an issue earlier

[1:59:01] this year at center school with the fire

[1:59:03] suppression system and I wanted to know

[1:59:04] if these two items are related and if so

[1:59:06] if the item was addressed at center

[1:59:09] school if there was a cost with that or

[1:59:10] if this will include that as well.

[1:59:12] >> Mr. McCarron, can you address this

[1:59:14] question?

[1:59:21] Uh thank you madam moderator. Uh the

[1:59:24] issue that we faced at the uh center

[1:59:26] school this year was relative to the dry

[1:59:28] loop system in the old center school.

[1:59:30] That issue um has been addressed uh and

[1:59:33] is unrelated to this request.

[1:59:35] >> Thank you very much. Any further

[1:59:37] discussion on article 40-11?

[1:59:41] Seeing none, we'll move to a vote with

[1:59:43] our cards. All those in favor, please

[1:59:46] raise your cards.

[1:59:48] Thank you very much. Those opposed,

[1:59:51] we'll call that a majority vote in

[1:59:53] favor.

[1:59:59] Uh, next we have article 40-12

[2:00:02] center boiler plant replacement and

[2:00:05] related equipment and all costs

[2:00:07] incidental and related there too. Miss

[2:00:09] Hegman. Madame moderator, I move that

[2:00:12] the town transfer from certified free

[2:00:14] cash the sum of $165,000

[2:00:17] for article 40-12 as printed in the

[2:00:19] warrant for center school boiler plant

[2:00:22] replacement and related equipment and

[2:00:24] all costs in incidental and related

[2:00:26] thereto.

[2:00:29] >> Thank you. We have a motion and a second

[2:00:30] on the floor. Uh the finance committee's

[2:00:32] recommendation is in your warrant and

[2:00:35] capital planning your recommendation.

[2:00:37] Capital Planning uh voted unanimously to

[2:00:39] recommend support for this article. Uh

[2:00:42] Center School has a pair of redundant

[2:00:44] boilers. Uh one of the pair failed and

[2:00:46] needed to be replaced during the year

[2:00:49] and it was replaced by NSRD using

[2:00:52] emergency funds. This article covers the

[2:00:55] cost of that replacement and the

[2:00:56] replacement of the other boiler. The new

[2:00:59] boiler system is simpler and more

[2:01:01] efficient than the current boiler

[2:01:03] system.

[2:01:04] >> Thank you very much. Do we have any

[2:01:06] discussion on article 40, excuse me,

[2:01:09] 40-12?

[2:01:12] Seeing none, we'll move to a vote with

[2:01:14] our cards, please. All those in favor?

[2:01:18] Thank you very much. All those opposed.

[2:01:22] Thank you. We'll call that a majority

[2:01:24] vote. in favor.

[2:01:28] Uh, moving on to article 40-13,

[2:01:31] installation of a great road Johnston

[2:01:34] Way crosswalk and related equipment and

[2:01:37] all costs incidental and related there

[2:01:39] too. Mr. Peterson.

[2:01:41] >> Madame moderator, I move that the town

[2:01:43] transfer from certified free cash the

[2:01:46] sum of $50,000 for article 40-13 as

[2:01:50] printed in the warrant for installation

[2:01:51] of a great road/jstonway

[2:01:54] crosswalk and all costs incidental and

[2:01:57] related thereto.

[2:01:59] >> Thank you. We have a motion and a second

[2:02:01] on the floor. Uh finance committee

[2:02:03] recommendation is in your warrant f uh

[2:02:06] capital planning Mr. Jeleneck. Madam

[2:02:08] moderator, this project will involve

[2:02:10] marking a crosswalk and installing

[2:02:12] pedestrian activated rapid flashing

[2:02:14] beacons that are intended to ensure safe

[2:02:16] pedestrian access from Johnston Way to

[2:02:19] the sidewalk on network on the north

[2:02:21] side of Great Road. These will be

[2:02:23] similar to other crosswalks on Great

[2:02:25] Road such as those at Harvard Road

[2:02:26] between the town building and town hall

[2:02:28] and between Bradley Lane and Deerfield

[2:02:30] Lane. Capital Planning feels that it is

[2:02:32] critical for the town to adopt measures

[2:02:34] that promote pedestrian safety,

[2:02:36] particularly for residents of the

[2:02:37] Elizabeth Brook Apartments. And so we

[2:02:39] voted unanimously to recommend the town

[2:02:41] support this funding request.

[2:02:43] >> Thank you very much. Do we have any

[2:02:45] discussion on article 40-13?

[2:02:50] Front microphone.

[2:02:52] >> Hi, I'm Ellen Anthony of Harvard Road

[2:02:55] and um you know crosswalks are great.

[2:02:58] There's one at the bottom of Harvard

[2:02:59] Road, which I use now and again, but the

[2:03:03] well, this man said sidewalk, and the little plaque out there says byway.

[2:03:10] And I've been told that because it's a

[2:03:12] byway, not a sidewalk, that the town

[2:03:15] can't, I don't know, do proper

[2:03:17] maintenance on it, the dirt is

[2:03:20] encroaching on it on both sides for much

[2:03:22] of its length. In the winter, it's

[2:03:24] impassible. So that when I was working

[2:03:27] in lower village and walking in the

[2:03:29] winter in the snow, it it's like, do I

[2:03:33] walk in the street where somebody's

[2:03:34] going to hit me or do I walk on the ice

[2:03:36] where I'm going to break my leg?

[2:03:38] >> Is this relative to the Johnston Way

[2:03:41] Great Road?

[2:03:42] >> I guess I guess tangentially it is. I

[2:03:44] guess I'll stop. Thank you.

[2:03:45] >> Thank you.

[2:03:47] >> Side microphone.

[2:03:48] >> Uh Jeremy D71 Robert Road. I'm here to

[2:03:52] vote in favor of this. Uh this is a

[2:03:54] crosswalk that is from the Elizabethian

[2:03:57] uh apartments to cross the street to get

[2:03:59] to the north side where their sidewalk

[2:04:01] is. We had a senior citizen who happens

[2:04:04] to be my mother-in-law that was hit at

[2:04:06] this exact uh crosswalk trying to cross

[2:04:08] the street in the winter. Uh the you

[2:04:10] know the medical costs there were

[2:04:12] actually two or three times as much as

[2:04:13] this cost. The town has looked at this

[2:04:16] for the past couple of years. were well

[2:04:18] aware of this particular crossing and

[2:04:21] the need for this. Uh and so you know

[2:04:24] she is here along with rest of the

[2:04:25] residents of that area that would like

[2:04:28] to have crossing to get over to uh to

[2:04:31] the STO center to get or to the park on

[2:04:33] the other side and actually have a

[2:04:35] passable way. Uh it's a very common

[2:04:37] thing that actually should be looked at.

[2:04:39] I'm surprised it has had to come to a

[2:04:41] town vote and that there's not funds or

[2:04:42] means by which to go ahead to address

[2:04:44] this, but I I ask people to vote for it.

[2:04:46] Thank you. Thank you very much. Any

[2:04:49] other discussion on article 40-13?

[2:04:54] Seeing none, we'll use our cards for a

[2:04:56] vote on this. All those in favor, raise

[2:04:58] your cards.

[2:05:00] >> Thank you. All those opposed.

[2:05:04] Thank you. That passes by majority.

[2:05:07] Moving

[2:05:09] on to article 40-14,

[2:05:13] excuse me, police cruiser replacement

[2:05:16] with hybrid and related equipment and

[2:05:18] all costs incidental and related there

[2:05:21] too. Miss Burch Mcichel. Madam

[2:05:23] moderator, I move that the town transfer

[2:05:25] from certified free cash the sum of

[2:05:27] $65,000 for article 40-14 as printed in

[2:05:31] the warrant for police cruiser

[2:05:32] replacement with hybrid and related

[2:05:34] equipment and all costs incidental and

[2:05:36] related there too.

[2:05:39] >> Thank you. We have a motion and a second

[2:05:41] on the floor. The finance committee

[2:05:42] recommendation is in your warrant and

[2:05:44] capital planning's recommendation, Mr.

[2:05:46] Jelan. Madam moderator, the police

[2:05:48] department proposes to use the funds

[2:05:50] authorized by this article to replace

[2:05:52] car number one, which is a six-year-old

[2:05:53] Ford Interceptor hybrid SUV that has

[2:05:55] reached the end of its useful life with

[2:05:57] a similar hybrid vehicle. The department

[2:05:59] is requesting these funds consistent

[2:06:01] with its ongoing practice of replacing

[2:06:03] one vehicle per year, and capital

[2:06:05] planning considers this to be a prudent

[2:06:07] expense that will avoid the risk of the

[2:06:09] town being exposed to unpredictable and

[2:06:11] potentially costly vehicle repairs.

[2:06:13] Accordingly, we voted unanimously to

[2:06:15] recommend the town support it.

[2:06:18] >> Thank you very much. Do we have any

[2:06:19] discussion on article 40-14?

[2:06:24] Just to stay in practice, we're going to

[2:06:26] use our clickers on this one.

[2:06:29] Voting is open now and you have 15

[2:06:31] seconds.

[2:06:48] And voting is closed with a vote of 119

[2:06:51] to 33. The motion passes.

[2:06:58] Article 40-15,

[2:07:00] second story design funds and all costs

[2:07:03] incidental and related there too. Mr.

[2:07:06] tool.

[2:07:07] >> Madame moderator, I move that the town

[2:07:10] transfer from certified free cash the

[2:07:12] sum of $35,000

[2:07:15] per article 40-15 as printed in the

[2:07:18] warrant for police department second

[2:07:20] story design funds and all costs

[2:07:23] incidental and related there too.

[2:07:27] >> Thank you. We have a motion and a second

[2:07:29] on the floor. The finance committee

[2:07:31] recommendation is in your warrant.

[2:07:33] Capital Planning, your recommendation.

[2:07:35] >> Madame moderator, for the past few

[2:07:37] years, the police department has been

[2:07:39] constrained by limits of the functional

[2:07:41] interior space of the police station.

[2:07:43] They intend to use the money requested

[2:07:45] by this article to fund a design study

[2:07:47] to add additional office space in the

[2:07:49] currently unfinished second story of the

[2:07:52] station. Having been convinced by Chief

[2:07:54] CIS that the current space constraints

[2:07:56] at the station are unsustainable,

[2:07:59] capital planning voted to recommend the

[2:08:00] town support this funding request. The

[2:08:03] vote was not unanimous, however, as not

[2:08:05] all members of the committee view this

[2:08:06] as a necessary expense at this time.

[2:08:10] >> Thank you very much. Do we have any

[2:08:12] discussion on article 40-15?

[2:08:16] Side microphone.

[2:08:18] >> Uh Nancy Arsenal, Redacre Road. I'm just

[2:08:21] curious if the current roof situation

[2:08:24] that looks like it's under repair is

[2:08:26] part of this project with the tarp. Um,

[2:08:29] and I'm just wondering or is that a

[2:08:31] completely separate action,

[2:08:33] >> Miss Debkowski?

[2:08:34] >> So, the roof was replaced uh about a

[2:08:36] month ago. The top was as a result of a

[2:08:37] leak and insurance paid to have our roof

[2:08:39] replaced. So, that is all taken care of.

[2:08:41] This is completely separate.

[2:08:43] >> Thank you. Site microphone.

[2:08:45] >> Tom Ryan, great road.

[2:08:47] I'm actually torn on this article. I'm a

[2:08:50] big supporter of the police department.

[2:08:52] I think they do a great job. But when I

[2:08:55] saw Capital Planning's thoughts that

[2:08:58] it's going to be a million-dollar

[2:08:59] project,

[2:09:01] there's no way I would support a

[2:09:03] million-doll renovation for the second

[2:09:06] floor of the police station. So, I

[2:09:08] >> this um this arc addresses just the

[2:09:11] design plan.

[2:09:12] >> I I know that, but the thing is the

[2:09:15] design to do a million-doll project.

[2:09:17] They're very much related. So,

[2:09:22] I'm at this at this point in time, I'm

[2:09:24] not in favor of this article and I think

[2:09:26] we should vote no because of the

[2:09:28] projected costs that this is going to

[2:09:30] lead to.

[2:09:31] >> Thank you. Side microphone.

[2:09:34] >> Oh, Mr. Deosski, do you have a response?

[2:09:36] >> Yes. I just wanted to comment. I think

[2:09:38] Tom, that's part of our unknown. Uh, the

[2:09:40] chief brought this forward. Um, I'll be

[2:09:43] honest. I told him I don't know if I

[2:09:44] could support a second story at this

[2:09:46] time, but it's worth the design funds to

[2:09:48] see if it's feasible, what the actual

[2:09:49] cost would be, and then be able to bring

[2:09:51] it back to this group and decide if it's

[2:09:53] something we want to proceed with. Right

[2:09:54] now, it's just all unknown.

[2:09:56] >> Thank you. Side microphone.

[2:09:58] >> Hi, Lori Clark, Brad Lane. I had two

[2:10:00] questions. One was, are there any uh

[2:10:03] grant programs for things like this that

[2:10:07] were considered? And the second question

[2:10:10] is, did we just say that we replace the

[2:10:12] roof, but we plan to rip it off to put a

[2:10:14] second floor on?

[2:10:16] >> Miss Debcowski.

[2:10:17] >> So, there is no grant funds. There's

[2:10:19] very little for municipal buildings

[2:10:20] right now. It's something we've been

[2:10:21] advocating for heavily. Uh, there is a

[2:10:23] full second story. So, it is unassigned

[2:10:26] space. It's just used for storage right

[2:10:28] now. So, there is a full second floor.

[2:10:30] This would build it out into office

[2:10:32] space to move the administration from

[2:10:33] the first floor up to the second.

[2:10:35] >> Thank you.

[2:10:36] side microphone.

[2:10:38] >> Just further clarification, Sandy Taff

[2:10:40] 303 Red Road. Um, this is a feasibility

[2:10:43] study. So, the design, it could be

[2:10:46] determined that it wasn't feasible yet.

[2:10:48] I just heard you say that there's a

[2:10:49] second floor there and it could support

[2:10:51] a number of office spaces. So, is there

[2:10:54] some criteria that you've developed

[2:10:56] already to say it's going to be feasible

[2:10:58] if we can get this number of rooms or

[2:11:01] what what would be the criteria for

[2:11:02] feasibility? I guess

[2:11:05] >> Mr. Stemcoski.

[2:11:06] >> So I it is a design study, not a

[2:11:08] feasibility study. Um I think it's more

[2:11:10] what it would look like and what it

[2:11:12] would cost. Um you know on a personal

[2:11:16] note my concern is we have buildings

[2:11:18] falling apart all over the place. We

[2:11:19] have a DPW that we can't replace because

[2:11:20] of the cost of that. So in my opinion we

[2:11:23] have to balance needs versus wants and

[2:11:25] this is something depending on the cost.

[2:11:27] Obviously the chief is saying it's

[2:11:28] necessary. He has all of our all of his

[2:11:30] officers are sharing one space which is

[2:11:32] not very productive. Um, but at the end

[2:11:34] of the day, what will it look like and

[2:11:35] what will it cost us? And then we can

[2:11:37] have that next conversation. But it's

[2:11:38] just a design, not a feasibility.

[2:11:41] >> Thank you for that clarification.

[2:11:44] >> Thank you. Any further discussion on

[2:11:46] article 40-15?

[2:11:48] Seeing none, we'll use our clickers to

[2:11:50] vote on this one.

[2:11:53] We'll have 15 seconds and voting is open

[2:11:55] now.

[2:12:11] Voting is closed and with a vote of 76

[2:12:15] in favor and 71 against with two

[2:12:18] abstensions, this motion passes.

[2:12:26] Article 40-16

[2:12:28] purchase a shared UTV and related

[2:12:32] equipment and all costs incidental and

[2:12:34] related thereto

[2:12:36] Mr. Constanzos.

[2:12:38] >> Madame moderator, I move that the town

[2:12:40] transfer from certified free cash the

[2:12:43] sum of $52,000

[2:12:45] for article 40-16 as printed in the

[2:12:48] warrant to purchase a shared UTV and

[2:12:51] related equipment and all costs

[2:12:53] incidental and related there too.

[2:12:56] Thank you. We have a motion and a second

[2:12:58] on the floor. The finance committee

[2:13:00] recommendation is in your warrant and

[2:13:02] capital planning, Mr. Jeleneck. Madam

[2:13:05] moderator, this request is for funds to

[2:13:07] replace the existing allterrain utility

[2:13:09] vehicle that has been shared between the

[2:13:11] conservation commission, the police and

[2:13:13] fire and other departments since it was

[2:13:15] acquired in 1999

[2:13:18] using grant funding. Although it has

[2:13:21] faithfully served the town in a variety

[2:13:23] of capacities, including emergency

[2:13:24] response, rescues in remote areas, and

[2:13:27] brush fire suppression, nothing lasts

[2:13:29] forever. And it pains me to report that

[2:13:32] the end of the trail for this vehicle

[2:13:33] has finally arrived.

[2:13:37] Recognizing its value to several

[2:13:39] departments. Capital Planning therefore

[2:13:40] voted unanimously to recommend that the

[2:13:42] town support sending it out to pasture

[2:13:45] and replacing it with an updated vehicle

[2:13:47] that will consolidate multiple

[2:13:48] departmental needs into a single shared

[2:13:51] asset. Thank you very much. Do we have

[2:13:53] any discussion on article 40-16?

[2:13:59] Seeing none, we'll move to a vote. We'll

[2:14:01] use our cards on this one. All those in

[2:14:03] favor,

[2:14:05] thank you. All those opposed.

[2:14:08] We'll call that a majority in favor.

[2:14:13] Getting close. Almost there. Article

[2:14:16] 40-17.

[2:14:18] Install a Pineluff well filter system

[2:14:22] and related equipment and all costs

[2:14:24] incidental and related there too. Miss

[2:14:26] Hegman. Madame moderator, I move that

[2:14:29] the town transfer from certified free

[2:14:31] cashache the sum of $35,000 for article

[2:14:34] 40-17

[2:14:35] as printed in the warrant to install a

[2:14:38] Pine Bluff well filter system and

[2:14:40] related equipment and all costs

[2:14:42] incidental and related there too.

[2:14:45] Second,

[2:14:46] >> thank you very much. We have a motion

[2:14:47] and a second on the floor. The finance

[2:14:49] committee's recommendation is in your

[2:14:51] warrant and capital planning, Mr. Jelan.

[2:14:54] Madam moderator, the recreation

[2:14:56] department is requesting funds to add a

[2:14:58] PAS filter to the existing water supply

[2:15:00] system at the Pine Bluffs Recreation

[2:15:02] Area. This equipment is necessary for

[2:15:04] the Massachusetts D to certify the

[2:15:07] system as a public water supply, which

[2:15:09] among other benefits will avoid the need

[2:15:11] for the town to provide bottled drinking

[2:15:13] water for the children that attend the

[2:15:15] recreation department's camp stow

[2:15:16] program in the summer. Capital Planning

[2:15:19] therefore voted unanimously to recommend

[2:15:21] the town support this project.

[2:15:23] Thank you very much. Any discussion on

[2:15:25] article 40-17

[2:15:30] side microphone

[2:15:32] >> Ames Coney 371 Sudbury Road uh and then

[2:15:36] a butter to Pine Bluffs. Madam

[2:15:38] moderator, is this a replacement for the

[2:15:41] current irrigation system where there's

[2:15:43] a pump house down by the lake or will

[2:15:45] the two systems operate in parallel?

[2:15:47] >> Miss Demkowski,

[2:15:49] >> they will operate in parallel. This is

[2:15:51] for a public water supply for the

[2:15:52] children to be able to drink with

[2:15:53] they're playing at the sports and camp.

[2:15:55] >> Thank you.

[2:15:55] >> You're welcome.

[2:15:56] >> Thank you very much. Any further

[2:15:58] discussion?

[2:16:00] We'll move to a vote on this. We'll use

[2:16:02] our cards, please. All in favor, raise

[2:16:04] your cards.

[2:16:06] Thank you very much. Those opposed.

[2:16:09] And we'll call that a majority in favor.

[2:16:15] and article 40-18

[2:16:18] Stow Community Park security cameras and

[2:16:21] related equipment and all costs

[2:16:23] incidental and related there too. Mr.

[2:16:25] Peterson.

[2:16:27] >> Madame moderator, I move that the town

[2:16:30] transfer from certified free cash the

[2:16:31] sum of $19,000 for article 40-18 as

[2:16:35] printed in the warrant for Stow

[2:16:37] Community Park security cameras and

[2:16:39] related equipment and all costs

[2:16:41] incidental and related there too.

[2:16:44] >> Thank you. We have a motion and a second

[2:16:46] on the floor. The finance committee

[2:16:48] recommendation is in your warrant.

[2:16:50] Capital planning.

[2:16:51] >> Madam moderator, capital planning voted

[2:16:53] to recommend the town support this

[2:16:54] funding request. It'll be used to

[2:16:56] replace the broken security cameras at

[2:16:58] Stow Community Park on Old Bolton Road.

[2:17:00] The vote was not unanimous. Some members

[2:17:02] of the committee expressed reservations

[2:17:04] about how secure the video data captured

[2:17:06] by these cameras will be as other

[2:17:08] residents of town expressed today.

[2:17:11] Nonetheless, the majority of the

[2:17:12] committee members are persuaded that

[2:17:14] functioning security cameras serve as an

[2:17:16] effective deterrent against acts of

[2:17:17] vandalism at the park and consistent

[2:17:20] with procedures used for the security

[2:17:22] cameras on other town property. Access

[2:17:24] to the video footage from these cameras

[2:17:26] would be limited to the police

[2:17:27] department and others on a need to- know

[2:17:28] basis only.

[2:17:30] >> Thank you very much. Do we have any

[2:17:31] discussion on article 40-18?

[2:17:34] Side microphone.

[2:17:36] >> Tom Ryan, great road. I would suggest we

[2:17:39] vote no on this the same way we did the

[2:17:41] security cameras for PMPO. I think we've

[2:17:44] got plenty of security cameras. The

[2:17:47] other thing that I would even question

[2:17:49] is, okay,

[2:17:51] why are the ones that are there now

[2:17:54] broken? Is it because somebody took a

[2:17:55] stick to them?

[2:17:57] And so we'll put up new ones, then

[2:17:59] they'll take another stick. Uh I I just

[2:18:02] don't think we need them.

[2:18:03] >> Thank you very much. Front microphone.

[2:18:05] >> Pam Weathers 89 Westen Road. same

[2:18:07] concerns. I just I am tired of being

[2:18:10] surveiled everywhere and I am finding

[2:18:13] this not to be something we should be

[2:18:15] supporting anymore.

[2:18:17] >> Thank you. Side microphone.

[2:18:19] >> Hi, Mike Bush, 25 Peody Drive. Um I'm on

[2:18:22] the recreation commission as well. Um,

[2:18:26] since we installed cameras, uh, when we,

[2:18:29] um, constructed Stoke Community Park,

[2:18:32] we've been able to solve a number of

[2:18:35] vandalism type issues based on just

[2:18:37] looking at the cameras. Um, the cameras

[2:18:40] we bought originally are very, very old,

[2:18:42] low resolution, and um, the technology

[2:18:45] has improved a lot since we built the

[2:18:47] park.

[2:18:48] Um, one example was is uh right after

[2:18:52] the park was constructed, the sign out

[2:18:54] front was uh stolen. Another one was

[2:18:57] there was damage on tennis courts and a

[2:19:00] number of other things where if you add

[2:19:02] up the total cost, it's beyond the

[2:19:03] 19,000. We were able to recover the the

[2:19:06] money based on going after the people

[2:19:08] that stole or caused the damage. Um,

[2:19:12] it's been a long time. We've had the

[2:19:14] cameras for a while. The cameras are all

[2:19:15] local data. It doesn't even leave the

[2:19:18] park. I'm not sure if that's been

[2:19:19] uploaded to another local place, but

[2:19:21] they're not cloud-based cameras. Um, so

[2:19:24] this is basically something that will

[2:19:26] save us money because we'll be able to

[2:19:28] see what goes on on the land to see who

[2:19:31] did something to go after them to get

[2:19:32] them to pay for it and we've done that

[2:19:34] and it's been effective. Thank you.

[2:19:36] >> Thank you. Site microphone.

[2:19:40] >> Hi madam um madam moderator. My name is

[2:19:42] Karen Wesley or um 51 Orchard Drive and

[2:19:46] my perspective comes as being a teacher

[2:19:47] in Stow but also a mother of um five

[2:19:50] children. We abut the M's academy which

[2:19:52] abuts the community park. I just had a

[2:19:55] clarify clarifying question. Does um the

[2:19:57] cameras collect can they can they see

[2:20:00] the um the parking lots for like license

[2:20:01] plate something for like a safety

[2:20:03] feature for god forbid like if one of

[2:20:05] the like a kid was grabbed because when

[2:20:07] I go to watch my students play soccer

[2:20:09] you have multiple families coming and

[2:20:12] going lots of adults and also with the

[2:20:13] master's academy I know there'll be more

[2:20:15] traffic more people like not strangers

[2:20:18] but more new clientele in that area

[2:20:20] using the fields I just wasn't sure if

[2:20:22] that do you know can they see the

[2:20:24] license plates

[2:20:25] >> Mr.

[2:20:27] So in the request by recreation, they

[2:20:28] did include one camera facing the

[2:20:30] parking lot that the police would be

[2:20:32] able to zoom in and access a license

[2:20:33] plate if need be.

[2:20:35] >> So to clip my my followup, I would

[2:20:37] recommend having that if god forbid if

[2:20:39] something happens, we would have that

[2:20:41] necessary for life live police

[2:20:43] departments. Thank you.

[2:20:44] >> Thank you. Side microphone

[2:20:49] » Debbie Woods, great route. Thank you,

[2:20:50] madam moderator.

[2:20:52] As in previous articles,

[2:20:56] the town needs to secure and really firm

[2:20:59] up their policies and procedures for

[2:21:01] what happens to the data. I hear maybe

[2:21:03] the recreation commission is looking at

[2:21:05] them. Maybe the police department's

[2:21:06] looking at the at the tapes.

[2:21:10] I don't want anybody get hurt. I don't

[2:21:12] want any um vandalism, whatever. But

[2:21:16] there's two issues. There's until until

[2:21:20] we have firm policies and procedures in

[2:21:22] place to decide on what happens with the

[2:21:25] information to ensure it's insured. I'm

[2:21:28] not in favor of adding any more security

[2:21:29] cameras or tapes.

[2:21:32] Thank you very much.

[2:21:34] Any further discussion on article 40-18?

[2:21:38] Oh, one more.

[2:21:40] >> Mike Bush, 25 PBD drive. This is

[2:21:42] replacing existing equipment which is

[2:21:44] very, very old. Um, we've been using

[2:21:47] these cameras for quite a long time and

[2:21:51] these are replacements for cameras that

[2:21:54] just don't see well anymore. They don't

[2:21:56] see the license plates. They can't see

[2:21:58] faces really well. Um,

[2:22:02] and we can do it better with better

[2:22:04] cameras. So, the policy, as far as

[2:22:06] policies go, I agree with that. Um, we

[2:22:09] have a a spoken policy of we don't want

[2:22:12] anything going to the cloud. We wanted

[2:22:14] to be able to use this to keep um people

[2:22:16] safe, but we don't have a policy of what

[2:22:19] to do with the data afterwards. So,

[2:22:21] that's a good idea, but in this case,

[2:22:23] getting the equipment and creating the

[2:22:24] policy really aren't orthog or going in

[2:22:27] the same direction. We need to get one

[2:22:29] and then do the other. Um, so this is

[2:22:32] just to replace, not to actually do a

[2:22:34] new set of cameras. Thank you.

[2:22:36] >> Thank you very much. Any further

[2:22:38] discussion on 40-18?

[2:22:41] front microphone.

[2:22:44] >> Courtney Freda of Boxboro Road. I just

[2:22:48] wanted to make a quick comment. Um I

[2:22:52] feel that sometimes

[2:22:54] we have

[2:22:56] staff or or um one of the departments in

[2:23:00] town is asking for support. They're

[2:23:02] asking for a tool. Um, and when we deny

[2:23:07] them that tool,

[2:23:10] we're not supporting them. They're

[2:23:12] trying to do their best to

[2:23:16] make this a good town, make us safe. And

[2:23:19] by denying them tools,

[2:23:22] we're making we're we're giving them a

[2:23:24] vote of non-confidence,

[2:23:27] and we're not giving them the tool they

[2:23:28] asked for. So, please consider that as

[2:23:32] you as you shepherd the budget and and

[2:23:37] protect your own pocket. Thank you.

[2:23:40] >> Thank you. Side microphone.

[2:23:42] >> Deputy Woods. Great road. Thank you,

[2:23:44] madam moderator. I want to at least

[2:23:46] clarify my position. I am in support of

[2:23:49] tools. I am in support of software. I am

[2:23:51] in support of all this, but not until we

[2:23:54] have policies and procedures in place

[2:23:56] with what we're going to do with the

[2:23:57] information. So my unsupport or non-sup

[2:24:00] support of this article in no way, shape

[2:24:02] or form should be construed as to I'm

[2:24:05] not supporting the recreation

[2:24:06] commission. I'm not supporting the

[2:24:07] police because that is not true. I am.

[2:24:10] But I am more concerned with the data

[2:24:12] that these um cameras and whatever are

[2:24:15] doing the fact that we want to um the

[2:24:19] police want to look at at license

[2:24:20] plates. It scares me that this

[2:24:22] information is now potentially to be

[2:24:24] captured. So I am not I am supporting

[2:24:27] these organizations but not until we as

[2:24:29] a town have our policies and procedures

[2:24:31] in place.

[2:24:33] >> Thank you. Any further discussion on

[2:24:35] article 40-18

[2:24:39] side microphone?

[2:24:40] >> John Color Romano uh Boxboro Road. I'm

[2:24:44] wondering if uh someone in town

[2:24:46] government can commit to putting

[2:24:49] together those uh procedures and

[2:24:52] policies uh so that that would uh put

[2:24:55] the town at ease in voting for some of

[2:24:58] these security uh articles. Thank you,

[2:25:02] Mr. Dowski.

[2:25:03] >> Yes, we can. It was already part of the

[2:25:05] discussion as capital planning

[2:25:07] mentioned. It came up there during their

[2:25:09] discussions that they would like us to

[2:25:10] have a policy. So, we just didn't want

[2:25:12] to put off the purchase of these for

[2:25:13] another year and put um places at risk.

[2:25:17] So, we were moving the cameras forward

[2:25:18] this year with the intention of having

[2:25:20] the board put forward a policy.

[2:25:23] Thank you. Any further discussion on

[2:25:26] article 40-18?

[2:25:29] All right, we're going to move to a

[2:25:30] vote. We're going to use our clickers

[2:25:32] for this one. You have 15 seconds to

[2:25:34] vote and voting is open now.

[2:25:51] And voting is closed. With a vote of 116

[2:25:55] in favor, 33 against, and three

[2:25:57] abstensions, the motion passes.

[2:26:01] And with that, I'm going to turn the

[2:26:03] podium back over to the moderator.

[2:26:17] Thank you, Miss Lvina. That was a big

[2:26:22] lift.

[2:26:24] All right, that brings us to article 41,

[2:26:27] the capital items proposed for

[2:26:29] borrowing. Because borrowing is proposed

[2:26:32] for these items, all the motions under

[2:26:34] these articles will require a twothirds

[2:26:36] majority to pass. That means we'll be

[2:26:39] using our clickers on all six of these

[2:26:42] items. A word of caution. Clearly, our

[2:26:45] clicker software is working based on the

[2:26:47] number of votes we're getting. But

[2:26:49] there's always the possibility that

[2:26:50] individual clickers are not working. So

[2:26:53] again, please be sure to look at the

[2:26:56] Okay, I was just voting. It took a few

[2:26:59] seconds every now and then to get that

[2:27:01] okay. It's also very possible that

[2:27:03] you'll get an okay on one vote, but it

[2:27:06] won't register on another one. So, look

[2:27:08] for an okay, please, on every single

[2:27:10] vote.

[2:27:12] As with article 40, we first have a

[2:27:15] procedural motion uh separating these

[2:27:17] items out into individual votes. Do I

[2:27:20] have a motion, Miss Burch Mcichael?

[2:27:22] >> Mr. Moderator, I move the town discuss

[2:27:24] the items of this article individually

[2:27:26] and vote upon each separately as to the

[2:27:29] amount to be appropriated for each item

[2:27:31] as set forth in separate motions

[2:27:33] proposed.

[2:27:34] >> This procedural motion has been made and

[2:27:36] seconded. As I said, this allows us to

[2:27:38] consider each item under article 41

[2:27:41] separately as we did in article 40. Is

[2:27:43] there any debate on this procedural

[2:27:45] motion? Seeing none, we'll go to a vote.

[2:27:49] This requires a simple majority and we

[2:27:51] will use our cards. All those in favor,

[2:27:53] please signify by raising your cards.

[2:27:56] Thank you. And those against, I will

[2:27:59] call that unanimous.

[2:28:01] That brings me to article 41,

[2:28:05] purchase of a Ford Maverick pickup by

[2:28:08] the Department of Public Works. Do I

[2:28:09] have a motion, Mr. Tulle?

[2:28:16] Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

[2:28:17] borrow $45,000

[2:28:20] for article 41-1

[2:28:22] as printed in the warrant to purchase a

[2:28:25] Ford Maverick pickup truck and related

[2:28:27] equipment including all costs incidental

[2:28:29] and related thereto and that to meet

[2:28:32] said appropriation, the treasurer with

[2:28:35] the approval from the select board is

[2:28:37] authorized to borrow the full amount of

[2:28:39] the appropriation under general laws

[2:28:41] chapter 44 or any other general or

[2:28:44] special law or other enabling authority

[2:28:48] and to issue bonds or notes of the town.

[2:28:52] Therefore,

[2:28:54] >> I have a motion made and seconded under

[2:28:56] article 41-1.

[2:28:58] Finance committee's recommendation,

[2:29:00] favorable recommendation is in the

[2:29:02] warrant. Mr. Duca with the capital

[2:29:04] planning recommendation

[2:29:05] >> uh at Duca 26 Crescent Street. Uh

[2:29:08] capital planning's uh votes were split

[2:29:10] on this. Two in favor and two opposed.

[2:29:12] So it we did not uh recommend support

[2:29:16] for the article. The Department of

[2:29:18] Public Works is seeking to a

[2:29:20] fuelefficient Ford Maverick to replace

[2:29:23] the 2021 Ford F-150 regular cab that is

[2:29:28] driven by the DPW director. The full F1

[2:29:31] F350 gets just 13 miles to gallon per

[2:29:35] gallon while the Maverick is expected to

[2:29:38] achieve 37 to 38 miles per gallon

[2:29:41] significant fuel savings. The 3 F3

[2:29:45] excuse me F 350 would remain in the

[2:29:48] fleet allowing the DPW crew to take full

[2:29:51] advantage of its size payload capacity

[2:29:53] for hauling equipment and materials and

[2:29:56] uh for use in operations. Uh the

[2:29:59] committee uh in favor agreed that the

[2:30:02] new efficient truck would uh new truck

[2:30:05] would be more efficient and appropriate

[2:30:07] use by the uh DPW director. The current

[2:30:10] truck will be used by the department as

[2:30:12] needed for jobs that require its

[2:30:14] capability and capacity. The uh those in opposition felt that this is an

[2:30:20] additional vehicle for the town to

[2:30:22] maintain and ensure the cost savings

[2:30:24] from the fuel usage in comparison with

[2:30:27] the Frief 350 are unlikely to be offset

[2:30:31] by the cost of the vehicle over the

[2:30:33] lifetime of the vehicle. [clears throat]

[2:30:35] >> Thank you, Mr. Duca. Do I have any

[2:30:37] debate on article 41-1?

[2:30:41] >> Signed microphone.

[2:30:42] >> Tom Ryan, great road. One of one concern

[2:30:46] I have is I mentioned it earlier in this

[2:30:49] meeting that our um debt service had

[2:30:53] increased about 21% between la the end

[2:30:56] of last or since the last meeting.

[2:31:00] I'm worried about borrowing for a

[2:31:03] $45,000 truck when we could be taking it

[2:31:07] out of free cash or something like that

[2:31:10] as well as adding adding another vehicle

[2:31:15] to kind of replace a 5-year-old vehicle.

[2:31:20] One question I do have is how long would

[2:31:22] you planning is the plan to borrow this

[2:31:25] money for?

[2:31:27] And that's going to be a question that I

[2:31:29] have for all of the other articles is

[2:31:32] how long are we going to borrow the

[2:31:33] money for and how long is it going to

[2:31:36] stick around on our debt schedule?

[2:31:39] >> Miss Denoski, I think the question is

[2:31:41] what is the expected term of the

[2:31:43] borrowing?

[2:31:44] >> So under Mass General Law Departmental

[2:31:45] Equipment, which this is considered as a

[2:31:47] five-year term, maximum of five years.

[2:31:53] » Is there a followup, Mr. Ryan? I'm just

[2:31:56] not in favor of it at this point. I

[2:31:57] could see buying a truck like this when

[2:31:59] the other one wears out.

[2:32:01] >> Thank you. Side microphone.

[2:32:04] >> Susan Crane, 122 Kirkland Drive. I'm all

[2:32:08] in favor of more fuel efficient vehicles

[2:32:11] and I'd really like the town to consider

[2:32:14] purchasing electric vehicles rather than

[2:32:16] gaspowered vehicles. So, I'm not in

[2:32:19] favor of this. I'd prefer that we wait

[2:32:21] and buy an electric vehicle.

[2:32:24] Thank you. Are there is there a need to respond?

[2:32:30] >> If I may.

[2:32:31] >> Yes, of course.

[2:32:31] >> Um, so the um manufacturers have not

[2:32:35] come up with electric vehicles for the

[2:32:37] heavy duty uh DPW type trucks. This one

[2:32:40] would also um function as a plow and we

[2:32:42] just don't have the capacity with

[2:32:43] electric vehicles at this time. So

[2:32:45] hybrid would be the way to go until they

[2:32:46] do have the technology to allow for

[2:32:48] fully EVs.

[2:32:51] >> Any further comment or debate?

[2:32:54] Seeing none, the question we'll go to a

[2:32:56] vote. Question is on the main motion

[2:32:58] under article 41-1. As I said, this

[2:33:00] requires a 2/3 vote and we will use our

[2:33:03] clickers. Voting will be open for 15

[2:33:06] seconds beginning now.

[2:33:27] And voting is closed.

[2:33:37] And by a vote of 32 in favor, 110

[2:33:41] against, and abstensions of three, the

[2:33:44] measure, the motion fails. achieved

[2:33:49] a majority but not 2/3. No, we did not

[2:33:53] achieve a majority.

[2:33:56] Article 41-2,

[2:34:01] replacing truck S11, crew chief's pickup

[2:34:04] truck by the Department of Public Works.

[2:34:06] Do I have a motion, Mr. Constantos?

[2:34:09] Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

[2:34:12] borrow $100,000 for article 41-2

[2:34:16] as printed in the warrant to purchase a

[2:34:18] new vehicle to replace truck S11, crew

[2:34:21] chief's pickup truck and all related

[2:34:24] equipment and for all costs incidental

[2:34:26] and related thereto and that the meet

[2:34:29] said appropriation the treasurer

[2:34:33] and that to meet set appropriation the

[2:34:35] treasurer with approval from the select

[2:34:37] board is authorized to borrow the full

[2:34:39] amount of the appropriation under

[2:34:41] general laws chapter 44 or any other

[2:34:44] general or specific law or other

[2:34:47] enabling authority and to issue bonds or

[2:34:50] notes of the town therefore.

[2:34:54] >> I have a motion made and seconded under

[2:34:56] article 41-2. The finance committee's

[2:34:58] favorable recommendation is in the

[2:35:00] warrant. Uh capital planning

[2:35:02] recommendation, Mr. Tupo.

[2:35:04] >> Uh capital planning uh voted unanimously

[2:35:07] to recommend support for this article.

[2:35:09] Uh the pickup truck in question is uh

[2:35:12] S11. It's uh a currently a 2012 uh Chevy

[2:35:18] 2500 HD equipped with a plow. It has

[2:35:22] approximately 100,000

[2:35:25] 111,000 miles on it and has reached the

[2:35:28] end of its useful life. Uh the committee

[2:35:30] agrees that the that a new truck is

[2:35:33] warranted. Uh the new truck will also

[2:35:35] have the additional capability of a lift

[2:35:37] gate. uh on the back and that has proved

[2:35:40] effective for both safety and efficiency

[2:35:43] uh with that the DPW has been using and

[2:35:46] so uh we support that additional

[2:35:49] capability for the new truck as well.

[2:35:51] Thank you.

[2:35:52] >> Thank you. Is there any debate

[2:35:56] >> Tom Ryan great road it my question is

[2:36:02] simply is this also a five-year

[2:36:04] borrowing and maybe it'll be if Um the

[2:36:08] other ones can be clarified. I won't

[2:36:10] have to keep asking the same question.

[2:36:13] >> Mr.

[2:36:15] >> So borrowing authoriz authorization rest

[2:36:17] solely with the town treasurer. I can't

[2:36:20] commit to what she plans to borrow when

[2:36:21] the time comes. Um but departmental

[2:36:23] equipment is a five-year borrowing. I

[2:36:25] will touch upon the reason why we borrow

[2:36:27] especially these type this type of

[2:36:28] equipment is we can't go out to a lot

[2:36:30] and buy it tomorrow. Um, some of them on

[2:36:33] at Tuesday's select board meeting,

[2:36:35] they're authorizing the bond for

[2:36:36] vehicles that were purchased at the 2023

[2:36:38] annual town meeting because it's taking

[2:36:40] three years and we would rather not

[2:36:41] commit the cash upfront and take it out

[2:36:43] of free cash so we borrow it when the

[2:36:45] equipment is needed. Um, I would expect

[2:36:47] this to be a five-year again. Um, as far

[2:36:50] as the rest of them, the fire engine, if

[2:36:52] I may just

[2:36:53] >> Yes, of course. Um, so the fire engine,

[2:36:55] um, with the last engine, the board

[2:36:57] voted to extend the authorization

[2:36:59] because fire engines have a much longer

[2:37:00] useful life up to 20 years. So the board

[2:37:03] could choose to extend that borrowing

[2:37:05] authorization. Um, and the other cost

[2:37:08] would all be historically five years.

[2:37:12] Again, I can't speak on behalf of the

[2:37:13] treasur, but historically five years for

[2:37:14] the other items.

[2:37:17] >> Thank you. Front microphone.

[2:37:19] >> Hi, Joe Dro. Actton Road. Uh, I'm just

[2:37:22] wondering why we can't get the $45,000

[2:37:24] truck for the crew chief. Thanks.

[2:37:30] » Um, Miss Timosski, does that add you?

[2:37:34] >> Um, yeah. I think this is a very

[2:37:35] different uh the the role of this truck

[2:37:38] is very different than the hybrid

[2:37:40] Maverick and this is a uh needed for um

[2:37:45] plow work, heavy duty maintenance and

[2:37:47] carrying things. It needs the capacity.

[2:37:49] it needs the uh the weight and uh and it

[2:37:52] the smaller hybrid truck would not be

[2:37:55] appropriate in the opinion of the DPW

[2:37:58] and and the committee have agreed with

[2:38:00] that assessment. It's it's essentially

[2:38:03] replacing an an existing truck of this

[2:38:06] particular size. So the current truck is

[2:38:09] doing its job and this truck there if

[2:38:12] it's purchased will continue to do the

[2:38:14] same job. So as far as we we understand

[2:38:17] that's the right thing to do. Thank you,

[2:38:19] Mr. Tuca. Side microphone.

[2:38:21] >> Sandy Tap, Redacre Road. Um, clarifying

[2:38:23] question or just a question about a Ford

[2:38:26] F-150 all-electric vehicle. I don't know

[2:38:28] if that meets the requirements, but it's

[2:38:31] certainly more powerful than the

[2:38:32] Maverick. At least that's my

[2:38:34] understanding. I was wondering if that

[2:38:36] would work or not. I appreciate it as be

[2:38:38] for service.

[2:38:39] >> Any response, Mr. McCoski?

[2:38:43] >> I would just stick to my prior response.

[2:38:44] We're not at the we're not at the point

[2:38:46] that we are ready to use EVs on

[2:38:48] equipment that we will be relying on all

[2:38:51] um snow season. Um some of our snow

[2:38:53] events are multi-day. We have to take a

[2:38:55] truck off the line and charge it if we

[2:38:58] were in that situation. So I think until

[2:39:00] they come up with better batteries that

[2:39:02] will last the duration of our regular

[2:39:04] storms, we're just not comfortable

[2:39:05] moving in that direction yet for DPW

[2:39:07] equipment.

[2:39:09] >> Any further comment or debate? Seeing

[2:39:12] none, we'll go to a vote. Questions on

[2:39:14] the main motion under article 41-2. This

[2:39:17] requires a twothirds majority to pass.

[2:39:19] We'll use our clickers and voting will

[2:39:22] be open for 15 seconds beginning now.

[2:39:34] Oh, that's right.

[2:39:46] And voting is closed.

[2:39:50] And by a yet vote of 100 to 40 with

[2:39:55] three abstensions, the measure passes.

[2:40:07] Article 41-3,

[2:40:09] replacing the police station generator

[2:40:11] of the facilities department. Do I have

[2:40:13] a motion, Miss Hegman?

[2:40:15] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

[2:40:18] borrow $110,000 for article 41-3 as

[2:40:22] printed in the warrant to replace the

[2:40:24] police station generator and for related

[2:40:26] equipment and all costs incidental and

[2:40:28] related there too and to meet said

[2:40:31] appropriation. The treasur with approval

[2:40:33] from the select board is authorized to

[2:40:34] borrow the full amount of the

[2:40:36] appropriation under general laws chapter

[2:40:38] 44 or any other general or special law

[2:40:41] or other enabling authority and to issue

[2:40:43] bonds or notes of the town. Therefore,

[2:40:48] » I have a motion made and seconded under

[2:40:50] article 41-3.

[2:40:52] Your finance committee's favorable

[2:40:54] recommendation is in the warrant. And

[2:40:57] Mr. Jelanic with capital planning

[2:40:59] recommendation.

[2:40:59] >> Mr. Moderator, to ensure that the

[2:41:01] department can continue to provide

[2:41:03] uninterrupted service during power

[2:41:04] outages, a backup electrical generator

[2:41:07] was installed at the police station when

[2:41:09] it was constructed almost 35 years ago.

[2:41:12] Although the generator was rebuilt in

[2:41:14] 2009, it has reached the end of its

[2:41:16] useful life and needs to be replaced.

[2:41:18] The facilities manager intended to

[2:41:20] request the funds to replace the

[2:41:22] generator last year, but agreed to a

[2:41:24] delay so that we could better

[2:41:25] accommodate last year's capital needs.

[2:41:28] He believes that further delay of this

[2:41:30] critical infrastructure replacement

[2:41:31] project will be unwise, as the lead time

[2:41:34] to purchase and install a new generator

[2:41:35] is at least 18 months.

[2:41:38] Capital Planning unanimously concurs

[2:41:40] with this assessment and voted to

[2:41:41] recommend the town support this request.

[2:41:44] >> Thank you, Mr. Jalen. Jelanick, is there

[2:41:46] any comment or debate?

[2:41:49] Seeing none, we'll go to a vote. The

[2:41:52] question is on the main motion under

[2:41:53] article 41-3. This requires a twothirds

[2:41:57] majority. We will use our clickers and

[2:41:59] voting is open now.

[2:42:18] and voting is closed

[2:42:23] and by I'm waiting for the software to

[2:42:26] finish.

[2:42:29] By a vote of 136 in favor, 10 against,

[2:42:32] and one abstension, the measure passes.

[2:42:42] Article 41-4,

[2:42:45] engine 12, replacement for fire

[2:42:47] department. Do I have a motion, Mr.

[2:42:48] Peterson?

[2:42:50] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

[2:42:52] borrow 1,100,000

[2:42:55] for article 41-4

[2:42:58] as printed in the warrant to purchase a

[2:43:00] new firet truck to replace engine 12 and

[2:43:03] related equipment and for all costs

[2:43:05] incidental and related there too. and

[2:43:08] that to meet said appropriation, the

[2:43:10] treasurer with approval from the select

[2:43:13] board is authorized to borrow the full

[2:43:15] amount of the appropriation under

[2:43:17] general laws chapter 44 or any other

[2:43:20] general or special law or other enabling

[2:43:23] authority and to issue bonds or notes of

[2:43:25] the town. Therefore,

[2:43:28] >> thank you. I have a motion made and

[2:43:29] seconded under article 41-4.

[2:43:32] Again, the finance committee's favorable

[2:43:34] recommendation is in the warrant. Mr.

[2:43:36] Jula for capital planning.

[2:43:37] >> Uh capital planning planning uh

[2:43:40] unanimously voted to support this

[2:43:42] article. Um engine 12 uh was constructed

[2:43:47] in 2004 has uh served beyond its

[2:43:50] expected life and is showing increasing

[2:43:53] signs of wear and tear. Um the funding

[2:43:57] uh this truck is there's likely a

[2:44:00] three-year build time for this truck and

[2:44:03] so it will be arriving at the department

[2:44:05] probably around 2028 if if the if the uh

[2:44:09] bill passes. Um the new truck has a 190

[2:44:15] uh 100 9960

[2:44:18] gallon water capacity 20 gallon foam

[2:44:21] capacity. It's a pumper truck and it can

[2:44:24] deliver 1,500 gallons per minute of

[2:44:27] water. Uh it will be the frontline truck

[2:44:29] for the department and the borrowing for

[2:44:32] the truck will occur when the truck is

[2:44:34] about to be delivered.

[2:44:36] >> Thank you, Mr. Duca. Is there any

[2:44:37] comment or debate?

[2:44:40] Seeing none, we seeing one

[2:44:45] sign.

[2:44:45] >> Ames Con Redacre wrote, "Mr. moderator,

[2:44:48] I think I heard Mr. Duca say 900

[2:44:51] gallons. That seems awfully small.

[2:44:54] >> Water capacity is listed as 960 gallons.

[2:44:58] Thank you.

[2:45:00] >> Anything else?

[2:45:04] » Side microphone.

[2:45:06] >> Sandy taffaker road. Um I am full

[2:45:09] support of the fire department and the

[2:45:11] police department. Um, what I want to

[2:45:13] understand though is the I understand

[2:45:16] the vehicle turnover in the police

[2:45:18] department is every seven years and that

[2:45:19] makes sense to me. Again, this is

[2:45:21] getting back to my big picture of trying

[2:45:23] to understand the full spend and time um

[2:45:26] of of when the spend will happen. Um,

[2:45:28] this is engine 12, but we don't have 12

[2:45:30] fire engines. I I know that. So, it'd be

[2:45:33] helpful to understand how many fire

[2:45:35] engines we do have. We had a great

[2:45:36] picture of the brush truck and I think

[2:45:38] that's extremely important with the dry

[2:45:40] weather we've been having. I'd like to

[2:45:42] know that that's in good shape as well

[2:45:44] too. But just a bigger picture of where

[2:45:46] we are on fire engine replacement and

[2:45:48] what that looks like down the road as we

[2:45:50] think about that blue three four blue

[2:45:53] bars coming up. Just want to make sure

[2:45:55] we can get it all done because I don't

[2:45:56] want to lose a fire truck especially the

[2:45:58] ones that contain the water because we

[2:46:00] don't have a water system. So it's

[2:46:02] really important to have the pumper

[2:46:03] trucks. Thank you. So, is the town

[2:46:05] administrator the best to give an

[2:46:06] overview of the vehicles?

[2:46:07] >> No. May I ask the fire chief to come up?

[2:46:09] >> Yes. Chief Ever.

[2:46:10] >> Chief Evers.

[2:46:21] » Hi, good morning. Uh, my name is Barry.

[2:46:23] I'm the uh fire chief here in Stow. And

[2:46:25] I don't know if it matters, but I'm a

[2:46:27] stranger, so

[2:46:29] I've been waiting a long time to say

[2:46:30] that. I'm sorry. Um, so just a few

[2:46:33] things to clarify.

[2:46:34] >> So hold it. Was he on the slide?

[2:46:39] >> Sorry.

[2:46:40] to interrupt you, Chief.

[2:46:43] >> Uh, so yes, we did see a nice picture of

[2:46:46] the new brush truck there that um we

[2:46:48] were able to uh refurbish this year. Um,

[2:46:51] and I just want to clarify that this

[2:46:52] truck that we're asking for this year is

[2:46:54] one of two structural firefighting uh

[2:46:58] apparatus that we have in the

[2:46:59] department. In addition to the two

[2:47:01] structural pumper trucks that we have,

[2:47:03] um, as it was mentioned, this town does

[2:47:06] not have a, uh, mincible water system.

[2:47:09] So, we also rely on two tankers that we

[2:47:12] have. Last year, we were able to

[2:47:14] purchase one tanker. And then, as you

[2:47:16] saw earlier, we have another one slated

[2:47:18] for 2029 replacement. So, this would be

[2:47:22] uh, just to wrap it up, this would be

[2:47:24] two structural firefighting with two

[2:47:26] tankers.

[2:47:29] Thank you, Chief. Any further comment or

[2:47:31] debate?

[2:47:33] Seeing none, we'll go to a vote on the

[2:47:35] main motion under article 41-4.

[2:47:38] This requires twothirds majority. We'll

[2:47:41] use our clickers and voting is open now.

[2:47:59] And voting is closed.

[2:48:05] And by a vote of 131 in favor, 18

[2:48:09] against, and one extension, the measure

[2:48:12] passes.

[2:48:18] Article 41-5,

[2:48:21] the center hail network switch

[2:48:23] replacement for NRSD. Do I have a

[2:48:26] motion, Miss Burch Mcichael?

[2:48:28] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

[2:48:31] borrow $143,850

[2:48:34] for article 41-5 as printed in the

[2:48:37] warrant for the center hail switch

[2:48:39] replacement and related equipment and

[2:48:41] all costs incidental and related thereto

[2:48:44] and that to meet said appropriation, the

[2:48:47] treasurer with approval from the select

[2:48:48] board is authorized to borrow the full

[2:48:50] amount of the appropriation under

[2:48:52] general laws chapter 44 or any other

[2:48:55] general or special law or other enabling

[2:48:57] authority. and to issue bonds or notes

[2:49:00] of the town. Therefore,

[2:49:01] >> second a motion made and seconded under

[2:49:04] article 41-5.

[2:49:06] Finance committee's favorable

[2:49:07] recommendation is in the warrant. Mr.

[2:49:09] Duca has the capital planning

[2:49:11] recommendation.

[2:49:12] >> Uh capital planning voted unanimously to

[2:49:14] recommend support for the article. Uh

[2:49:17] the network switch is at its end of life

[2:49:19] and it is a critical piece of

[2:49:21] infrastructure for the Nishoba district.

[2:49:25] The network switches between the three

[2:49:27] member towns are uh all being updated at

[2:49:30] the same time and will be consistent

[2:49:32] with those used at the new high school.

[2:49:35] Um with when you're using an old

[2:49:38] outofdate network switch, there are

[2:49:40] issues relating with updating the

[2:49:42] software which can lead to

[2:49:43] vulnerabilities and security risks. Um

[2:49:46] and so it's important for these things

[2:49:48] to be maintained even though we

[2:49:50] recognize that they are expensive. The

[2:49:53] committee agreed that the switches need

[2:49:54] to be replaced and having a unified

[2:49:56] system across three towns is essential

[2:49:58] for operations and maintenance.

[2:50:01] >> Thank you. Is there any comment or

[2:50:03] debate?

[2:50:05] As I get older, I find myself

[2:50:07] sympathizing with these things that are

[2:50:09] old and out of date and at the end of

[2:50:11] their useful life, but one day someone

[2:50:13] will be saying that about me.

[2:50:17] Seeing no comment or debate, we'll go to

[2:50:18] a vote on the main motion under article

[2:50:20] 41-5.

[2:50:22] Again, this requires a twothirds

[2:50:24] majority and we will use our clickers.

[2:50:26] Voting is open now.

[2:50:46] And voting is closed.

[2:50:50] By a vote of 122 in favor, 14 against,

[2:50:54] and two abstensions, the measure passes.

[2:51:03] Article 41-6,

[2:51:05] water system upgrade at center school

[2:51:08] for the NRSD. Do I have a motion, Mr.

[2:51:10] Tulle?

[2:51:12] Mr. Moderator, first I would never vote

[2:51:14] you out of date and be had a useful

[2:51:16] life. Just

[2:51:17] >> I appreciate that, but you're a little

[2:51:18] bit ahead of the timeline than I am, I

[2:51:20] think.

[2:51:25] » Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

[2:51:27] borrow 118,000 for article 41-6

[2:51:31] as printed in the warrant for a water

[2:51:33] system upgrade at center school and

[2:51:35] related equipment in all costs,

[2:51:37] incidental and related there, too. and

[2:51:40] that to meet set appropriation, the

[2:51:42] treasurer with approval from the select

[2:51:44] board is authorized to borrow the full

[2:51:46] amount of the appropriation under

[2:51:48] general laws chapter 44 or any other

[2:51:51] general or special law or other enabling

[2:51:53] authority and to issue bonds or notes of

[2:51:57] the town. Therefore,

[2:51:59] >> I have a motion made and seconded under

[2:52:01] article 41-6. Finance committee's

[2:52:04] favorable recommendation is in the

[2:52:05] warrant and Mr. Duca has the capital

[2:52:08] planning recommendation. Uh capital

[2:52:10] planning unanimously recommended support

[2:52:12] for this article. Uh the water system at

[2:52:15] center school uh needs to be updated to

[2:52:17] be in compliance with DP D regulations.

[2:52:21] It is a public water supply. Uh the

[2:52:24] current system is running but is is not

[2:52:26] sustainable as there is uh calcification

[2:52:29] buildup and that needs to be addressed.

[2:52:33] >> Thank you. Any comment or debate on

[2:52:35] article 41-6?

[2:52:37] Seeing none, we'll go to a vote. The

[2:52:39] vote is on the main motion under article

[2:52:41] 41-6.

[2:52:43] Requires a twothirds majority. And we

[2:52:45] will use our clickers with voting

[2:52:48] opening now.

[2:53:06] And voting is closed.

[2:53:09] By a vote of 124 in favor, 12 against,

[2:53:13] and one abstension, the measure passes.

[2:53:22] That concludes our capital items. Give

[2:53:25] yourselves a big hand for getting

[2:53:26] through that. That was

[2:53:29] a lot of work. [applause]

[2:53:33] Article 42. Do I have a motion, Mr.

[2:53:36] Constanzos.

[2:53:37] >> Mr. Moderator, I move no action on

[2:53:39] article 42.

[2:53:42] >> Do I have a second?

[2:53:45] >> Motion's been made and seconded to take

[2:53:47] no action on article 42. Ms. Denosski,

[2:53:50] do you want to explain why no action?

[2:53:53] >> Um, sure. Um after the request was

[2:53:56] submitted to community preservation and

[2:53:59] capital planning uh the historical

[2:54:02] commission found out that they would

[2:54:03] have to do significant um ADA

[2:54:06] requirements if they were going to make

[2:54:08] this these repairs to the west school.

[2:54:10] Um so they had decided to pull their

[2:54:13] request so they could do more research

[2:54:14] before it comes back. Uh the reason the

[2:54:16] finance committee had recommended

[2:54:18] favorable I'm sorry did not recommend is

[2:54:20] because the information came in after

[2:54:22] capital planning voted but before the

[2:54:24] fincom voted. So that's why there's a

[2:54:26] different recommendation for both

[2:54:27] committees.

[2:54:28] >> Thank you. Is may I assume uh finance

[2:54:31] committee is in favor of no action?

[2:54:33] >> You may moderator.

[2:54:34] >> Thank you. And capital planning on

[2:54:36] >> capital planning is in favor of no

[2:54:38] action. Mr. moderator.

[2:54:39] >> Thank you. Uh no action motions are

[2:54:42] debatable. Is there any comment or

[2:54:43] debate on the motion for no action?

[2:54:46] Front microphone.

[2:54:48] >> Just curious whether it's possible to

[2:54:52] >> uh name Street.

[2:54:53] >> Oh, sorry. Douglas Moffett uh 185

[2:54:57] Harvard Road. I live right next door to

[2:54:59] the West School. Um just wondered

[2:55:02] whether it's possible to uh sort of

[2:55:05] dodge the ADA requirement

[2:55:09] if do I need to stand closer?

[2:55:12] >> No, it's probably

[2:55:13] >> whether it's possible to dodge the ADA

[2:55:16] requirement if you like fix the ye roof

[2:55:19] this year and repoint the bricks the

[2:55:22] next year or something like that.

[2:55:27] » Miss Towski. Well, I would not advise

[2:55:29] the town of Stow dodge the ADA

[2:55:31] requirements. Um, I think that's

[2:55:33] something that the historical commission

[2:55:34] will be looking at. They'll be looking

[2:55:36] at what repairs they can do without

[2:55:38] triggering that requirements. I think

[2:55:39] that's one of the reasons they wanted to

[2:55:40] pull it is to do more research overall.

[2:55:42] They also planned um they've asked the

[2:55:44] building commission to do a walkthrough

[2:55:45] to see what he would require under the

[2:55:47] code to be ADA compliant just so it

[2:55:50] gives them better information for them

[2:55:51] to come back to this group.

[2:55:54] >> Side microphone.

[2:55:55] >> Hi, Nancy Arsenal Ready. I'm on the

[2:55:58] historical commission and we just had a

[2:56:00] meeting this week and we are setting up

[2:56:02] a site visit over there just to check

[2:56:05] condition of everything. Um, and we have

[2:56:07] a list of what's required by ADA and

[2:56:10] we'll envision how that would fit into

[2:56:12] renovations or changes we might have to

[2:56:15] make. Everything from the parking lot to

[2:56:17] the entrance path to um widening the

[2:56:20] doorways and these things are all

[2:56:22] required. So rather than do things peace

[2:56:25] meal, we're going to try and come up

[2:56:26] with what the full picture has to be.

[2:56:29] >> Thank you. I want to remind everyone the

[2:56:31] motion on the floor is to take no

[2:56:33] action. So in order to take action, it

[2:56:35] will be coming back to town meeting

[2:56:37] presumably. With that front microphone,

[2:56:40] >> Andy Dur 35 Harvard Road. Uh um is the

[2:56:45] roof leaking?

[2:56:49] » No. because deferred maintenance of a

[2:56:52] leaking roof is going to cost a lot

[2:56:54] more. So if it's not leaking, no action

[2:56:57] is

[2:57:00] >> any further comment or debate.

[2:57:03] Seeing none, we will take uh a vote. The

[2:57:06] this requires a simple majority on again

[2:57:09] the motion is to take no action. This

[2:57:10] requires a simple majority and we will

[2:57:13] use our cards. All those in favor,

[2:57:15] please signify by holding up your cards.

[2:57:17] Thank you. and those against. No action.

[2:57:20] Thank you. I'll call that unanimous.

[2:57:26] Article 43, snow and ice deficit

[2:57:29] transfer.

[2:57:31] >> Mr. Sorry. Sorry, Miss Heg.

[2:57:35] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

[2:57:37] approve article 43 snow and ice deficit

[2:57:40] transfer as printed in the warrant as a

[2:57:42] and as funding. Therefore, transfer

[2:57:45] $80,000 from certified free cash to

[2:57:48] cover the unexpected or expected snow

[2:57:51] and ice deficit.

[2:57:54] Do I have I have a motion made and

[2:57:56] seconded under article 43. Finance

[2:57:58] committee's favorable recommendation is

[2:58:00] in the warrant. Mr. Dowski, I think you

[2:58:02] have a very brief presentation.

[2:58:04] >> Yes, just two slides to show. So,

[2:58:06] obviously we all know the winter that we

[2:58:08] had this year. Um here's how our snow

[2:58:10] and ice budget looks this year as it has

[2:58:12] in the past. Um, our total spending for

[2:58:15] snow and ice came in at $552,329.

[2:58:19] Uh, some of you may remember when I

[2:58:21] started here in 2020, we were

[2:58:23] appropriating $165,000 for snow and ice.

[2:58:26] It had been that way for quite some

[2:58:27] time. Uh, we increased it to 200,000.

[2:58:30] Uh, and then I think just last year, we

[2:58:32] increased it to $225,000 to slowly

[2:58:35] increase with the cost of uh,

[2:58:36] maintaining our roadways. Um,

[2:58:40] so given that our deficit, our total

[2:58:42] deficit is $327,329.

[2:58:45] Um, the town accountant and I have gone

[2:58:47] through budgets. Uh, I've told folks

[2:58:50] they have to cut spending in certain

[2:58:52] areas and we were able to free up

[2:58:54] 247,329

[2:58:56] in the existing fiscal 26 budget that

[2:58:59] the select board will vote on Tuesday

[2:59:01] and the finance committee will vote on

[2:59:02] Wednesday to move that money around,

[2:59:04] leaving a balance of $80,000 that we

[2:59:06] would need to transfer from free cash to

[2:59:07] cover that deficit.

[2:59:10] >> Thank you. Is there any comment or

[2:59:12] debate on article 43?

[2:59:17] front microphone

[2:59:21] » Alan Fierce 284 Redacre Road

[2:59:25] I'm on the board of ORS the watershed

[2:59:28] group for aset subbury and conquered

[2:59:30] rivers and we do a water quality

[2:59:32] monitoring program for all those rivers

[2:59:35] and one of the most disturbing findings

[2:59:37] that we have is the increase in salt

[2:59:40] that we're finding in the water over the

[2:59:42] past decade slowly rising considerably

[2:59:46] so in the last few years. The primary

[2:59:50] source of that salt in our rivers and

[2:59:54] streams is is road salt. And I I'm going

[2:59:58] to vote in favor of this, but I would

[3:00:01] like to see our DPW start using less

[3:00:05] salt. And if there are other alternative

[3:00:07] methods that can be used, we need that

[3:00:10] to happen or this trend. And it's not

[3:00:13] just Stow, it's all over the state. We

[3:00:17] need to have the ice the the salt level

[3:00:20] drop for the ecological health of our

[3:00:23] res river systems in Massachusetts. So

[3:00:26] vote for this but try if you can DPW to

[3:00:30] reduce your use of salt. Thank you.

[3:00:34] >> Thank you. Any further comment or

[3:00:36] debate?

[3:00:38] >> Front microphone.

[3:00:39] >> Yeah. Steve Chelik 88 PBD drive. And I'm

[3:00:41] embarrassed to ask this question, but I

[3:00:43] might not be the only one that wants to

[3:00:44] know what is covered by the snow and ice

[3:00:47] budget. Is that just materials or are we

[3:00:49] paying overtime to people to do plowing

[3:00:51] or what's included in that overage?

[3:00:53] >> So, it covers all operations. So, it it

[3:00:56] covers the overtime for our staff. It

[3:00:58] covers the private contractors that come

[3:00:59] in and it covers all of the materials.

[3:01:01] The majority of that cost is materials.

[3:01:06] >> Any further comment or debate?

[3:01:09] Seeing none, we'll go to a vote.

[3:01:12] Main motion under article 43. This

[3:01:15] requires a simple majority and we'll

[3:01:17] just use our cards. All those in favor,

[3:01:19] please signify by holding up your cards.

[3:01:21] Thank you. And opposed?

[3:01:24] I uh I have a few, but I will call that

[3:01:26] unanimous.

[3:01:32] Article 44. Do I have a motion, Mr.

[3:01:36] Peterson?

[3:01:38] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

[3:01:40] approve article 44, archiving documents

[3:01:42] as printed in the warrant, and as

[3:01:44] funding, therefore raise and appropriate

[3:01:47] the fund of $15,000

[3:01:49] for the purpose of archiving permanent

[3:01:51] records, including documents, plans, and

[3:01:54] permit information.

[3:01:57] >> Motion been made and seconded under

[3:01:59] article 44. Your finance committee's

[3:02:01] favorable recommendation is in the

[3:02:03] warrant. Is there any comment or debate

[3:02:05] on article 44?

[3:02:08] Seeing none, we will go to a vote. This

[3:02:10] requires a simple majority. We will use

[3:02:12] our cards. All those in favor, please

[3:02:14] signify by raising your cards. Thank

[3:02:16] you. And those opposed.

[3:02:20] Thank you. I'll call that unanimous.

[3:02:26] Article 45. Do I have a motion, Miss

[3:02:29] Burch Mcichel?

[3:02:31] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

[3:02:32] approve article 45 updating the town's

[3:02:35] hazard mitigation plan as printed in the

[3:02:37] warrant and as funding therefore raise

[3:02:39] and appropriate the sum of $30,000 for

[3:02:42] the purpose of hiring a consultant to

[3:02:44] update the town's hazard mitigation

[3:02:46] plan.

[3:02:48] >> Thank you. I have a motion made and

[3:02:49] seconded under article 45. Your finance

[3:02:52] committee's favorable recommendation is

[3:02:54] in the warrant. Uh there are generally

[3:02:56] very good explanations in the warrant

[3:02:58] but I am going to ask Miss Demkowski

[3:03:00] what exactly is a hazard mitigation

[3:03:02] plan?

[3:03:05] So the hazard mitigation plan is done

[3:03:07] under sort of FEMA and then MIMA's

[3:03:10] regulations. It requires us to identify

[3:03:12] all of the concerns we have in the town

[3:03:14] that are potential hazards. It talks

[3:03:16] about streams. It talks about droughts.

[3:03:17] It talks about um different areas that

[3:03:20] may be sensitive in town. um any

[3:03:23] concerns that we have and that the

[3:03:25] federal government may have as far as

[3:03:26] our response times um is a so our plan

[3:03:31] was expired in 2016. Um as I did note in

[3:03:35] the comments here, we're hopeful that

[3:03:36] this these funds are not needed. Uh we

[3:03:38] do have a federal grant to get this plan

[3:03:41] updated. Um but with the changes in the

[3:03:43] federal government, they're expecting to

[3:03:44] take away our grant funding next year

[3:03:46] and this is a two-year process. So, um,

[3:03:49] the article would be to supplement the

[3:03:51] grant if the grant were to go away and

[3:03:52] so that we could get us up to compliance

[3:03:54] with the DP's requirements.

[3:03:57] >> Thank you. Is there any comment or

[3:03:58] debate?

[3:04:01] >> Uh, why don't you let Mr. Taft go first?

[3:04:04] He was heading there and you kind of cut

[3:04:06] him off.

[3:04:11] » Um, Sandy Taffer Road with regard to the

[3:04:14] hazard mitigation plan. Um I remember

[3:04:17] that one of the votes we are we have a

[3:04:19] couple covert projects that are being

[3:04:22] designed and with the impact of climate

[3:04:25] change obviously coverts are very

[3:04:27] important and does it make more sense to

[3:04:29] have the hazard mitigation plan

[3:04:31] completed before we undertake the work

[3:04:32] on the covers.

[3:04:40] » So the hazard mitigation plan is not

[3:04:42] going to tell us that we have to replace

[3:04:43] the culverts. going to identify where

[3:04:45] there are concerns and possible hazards.

[3:04:47] So, I think um if we can identify

[3:04:49] through the consultants that they are on

[3:04:51] the list for funding to be replaced,

[3:04:53] they can note that. Um I would not want

[3:04:55] to hold either one of them off because

[3:04:57] they are both critical and timesensitive

[3:04:58] on both matters.

[3:05:02] >> Sorry, microphone.

[3:05:03] >> Uh Tom Ryan, great road. I suppose I

[3:05:06] really just question whether we need to

[3:05:09] spend $30,000

[3:05:11] when we have an expired plan that okay,

[3:05:15] it's 10 years out of date. But I would

[3:05:18] think that the department heads in town

[3:05:22] know where all the hazards are, anything

[3:05:26] that might be new. And why couldn't we

[3:05:28] do something like this in house and not

[3:05:30] spend 30 grand on consultants?

[3:05:33] That was a question, Miss Demoski.

[3:05:36] >> So, while our department heads are

[3:05:38] phenomenal, we just don't have the time

[3:05:40] and capacity to do a study like this. It

[3:05:42] takes 18 to 24 months. Um, it requires

[3:05:45] public input. It requires surveys. It

[3:05:48] requires public information sessions.

[3:05:50] Um, and I think in my opinion, $30,000

[3:05:52] through a grant currently is a small

[3:05:54] price to pay to have someone come in and

[3:05:56] handle that so that we don't have to

[3:05:58] free up time of the fire chief or of the

[3:06:00] planning department to make room for

[3:06:02] this study. Um, it is a requirement by

[3:06:04] law. We are 10 years out of compliance.

[3:06:06] So, again, the goal is we don't need

[3:06:08] this money. Uh, we did go out to bid and

[3:06:10] $30,000 is what it costs to do this. Um,

[3:06:13] and I'm just hesitant to sign the

[3:06:15] contract until I know that we will have

[3:06:16] the funds should the grant go away. Any

[3:06:20] further comment or debate?

[3:06:23] Seeing none, we'll go to a vote on the

[3:06:24] main motion under article 45, which

[3:06:27] requires a simple majority. We will use

[3:06:29] our clickers and voting will be open.

[3:06:34] I need the high signs act. Voting is

[3:06:36] open now. Thank you

[3:06:40] for 15 seconds.

[3:06:52] And voting is closed. And by a vote of

[3:06:55] 115 in favor and 22 against with one

[3:06:58] extension, the measure passes.

[3:07:07] Article 46, special legislation to allow

[3:07:11] digital legal notices. Do I have a

[3:07:14] motion, Mr. tool.

[3:07:16] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

[3:07:19] approve article 46, special legislation

[3:07:22] to allow digital legal notices as

[3:07:25] printed in the warrant to authorize the

[3:07:27] select board to petition the

[3:07:29] Massachusetts General Court for special

[3:07:32] legislation to allow the town to satisfy

[3:07:35] requirements set forth in the general

[3:07:37] laws for publication of legal notices,

[3:07:40] either by publication in a newspaper or

[3:07:43] posting on the town's website or in a

[3:07:46] local digital newspaper. Provided,

[3:07:48] however, that the general court is

[3:07:50] authorized to make changes of form only

[3:07:53] to the bill without the approval of the

[3:07:55] select board and to authorize the select

[3:07:58] board to approve such changes as are

[3:08:01] within the public purposes of the

[3:08:03] petition.

[3:08:06] >> I have a motion made and seconded under

[3:08:08] article 46. The finance committee's

[3:08:11] favorable recommendation is in the

[3:08:13] warrant. There is an explanation in your

[3:08:15] warrant. Do I have any comment or

[3:08:18] debate?

[3:08:19] And seeing none, we will go to a vote on

[3:08:22] the main motion under article 46, which

[3:08:24] requires a simple majority who use our

[3:08:27] cards. All those in favor, please

[3:08:28] signify by raising your cards. Thank

[3:08:31] you. And those against.

[3:08:34] I'm going to call that almost a

[3:08:36] majority, but it passes.

[3:08:38] Almost unanimous.

[3:08:40] >> You mean almost unanimous?

[3:08:41] >> Almost. Uh, I meant almost unanimous. It

[3:08:44] does pass.

[3:08:46] >> See, that's why we have council here.

[3:08:48] It's very important.

[3:08:52] Our 42nd new general bylaw article on

[3:08:57] storm water management. I I hope you all

[3:08:59] remember that vote we took at the very

[3:09:01] beginning of town meeting about waving

[3:09:03] the requirement that the moderator read

[3:09:05] the entire warrant. This is why we do

[3:09:07] that. Do I have a motion, Mr.

[3:09:11] Constantos?

[3:09:12] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

[3:09:14] approve article 47, new general bylaw

[3:09:18] article on storm water management as

[3:09:21] printed in the warrant to add a new

[3:09:23] article 19 to the general bylaws to read

[3:09:26] in its entirety as stated in the

[3:09:28] warrant, including to authorize the town

[3:09:31] act in pursuant to general law chapter

[3:09:34] 40 section 58 to impose a lean on real

[3:09:38] property for any unpaid charges imposed

[3:09:41] person pursuent to said article 19,

[3:09:45] including but not limited to any charges

[3:09:47] for costs incurred by the town resulting

[3:09:49] from any violation of or abatement or

[3:09:53] remediation order pursuant to said

[3:09:55] article 19, including administrative

[3:09:58] costs and further to authorize the town

[3:10:00] clerk to correct

[3:10:03] scrier's errors and make no

[3:10:06] non-substantive changes to the numbering

[3:10:09] or formatting. Second.

[3:10:12] >> I have a motion made and seconded under

[3:10:14] article 47. The finance committee's uh

[3:10:17] recommendation that's kind of a

[3:10:18] non-recommendation is in your warrant.

[3:10:22] And this obviously requires some

[3:10:23] explanation. And for that we're going to

[3:10:25] go to DPW director Dan Rowley making I

[3:10:28] believe his town meeting speaking debut.

[3:10:32] >> Yes. Uh Dan Rowley, DPW director. Uh so

[3:10:36] I am a true stranger being your first

[3:10:37] time addressing you. Um little bit about

[3:10:41] this bylaw. So um part of my role as

[3:10:44] your DPW director um I am tasked with

[3:10:47] ensuring compliance with our MS4 permit

[3:10:50] administer administrated by the EPA. Um

[3:10:54] earlier this morning you folks funded

[3:10:57] one of the critical uh components of

[3:10:59] that program with um providing money for

[3:11:01] maintenance and operations of the

[3:11:03] system. Um we're required to clean catch

[3:11:05] basins [snorts]

[3:11:06] uh sweep streets. Um we have an

[3:11:09] education and outreach component to that

[3:11:11] where we have to provide information to

[3:11:13] folks so they understand um the critical

[3:11:16] nature of this infrastructure. Um we

[3:11:18] have a bylaw already for illicit

[3:11:21] discharge detection and elimination.

[3:11:23] That's bylaw 18. Um and obviously a lot

[3:11:26] of reporting that goes with that. Um our

[3:11:29] current permit was issued in 2016. an

[3:11:32] amendment uh issued on January 6, 2021

[3:11:36] required us to put in place post

[3:11:38] construction storm water management

[3:11:40] ordinances. Um and what the EPA is

[3:11:44] trying to accomplish is um ensuring that

[3:11:48] infrastructure that is um put in place

[3:11:50] during uh large projects um is

[3:11:54] maintained and there's a plan for that.

[3:11:56] So um they're looking for implementation

[3:11:58] of best management practices. Address

[3:12:00] post construction runoff. Um ensure

[3:12:03] adequate long-term operation and

[3:12:04] maintenance of storm water

[3:12:06] infrastructure. Oftent times these uh

[3:12:09] items are constructed and not

[3:12:10] maintained. U retention basins you know

[3:12:13] will let be let go for 20 30 years and

[3:12:15] be you know forested at that point. So

[3:12:18] what the EPA has recommended is the

[3:12:20] development of um rules and regulations.

[3:12:24] And so what this bylaw does, it it

[3:12:27] really creates the framework for us to

[3:12:29] do that. Um once this is in place, the

[3:12:33] next step will be to promulgate rules

[3:12:35] and regulations with the planning board.

[3:12:37] That's really where the detail will come

[3:12:39] in. This is really just framework to

[3:12:41] allow us to do that. Um the uh threshold

[3:12:44] is set at one acre, so it's a fairly

[3:12:47] goodsized project that would fall under

[3:12:49] this.

[3:12:51] >> Thank you, Mr. Rowley. Um, I do want to

[3:12:54] give the planning board a chance to

[3:12:55] comment. I believe they're involved in

[3:12:57] this proposed bylaw

[3:13:00] and I have planning board chair Lori

[3:13:02] Clark making her way to the microphone.

[3:13:06] Mr. Elli, you might want to stay there

[3:13:08] just in case there's questions.

[3:13:10] I'm not prompting any questions. I'm

[3:13:12] just recommending

[3:13:14] Miss Clark.

[3:13:21] » Hi, Lori Clark. current uh planning

[3:13:23] board chair. Um we actually didn't

[3:13:25] prepare a statement for today. We did

[3:13:28] meet um and go through the bylaw and

[3:13:33] um gave input, but we did not take a

[3:13:36] vote one way or the other. I'm not sure

[3:13:39] if there are specific questions.

[3:13:42] >> Just want to give you an opportunity to

[3:13:43] comment if you want it. That's all. Is

[3:13:46] there any question or debate?

[3:13:50] Mr. uh front microphone

[3:13:52] >> Alan Fierce 284 Redacre Road. You know

[3:13:55] Dan, I'm on the board of ORS. This is a

[3:13:59] plan that is designed to protect the

[3:14:02] water quality of our rivers and streams,

[3:14:05] our Ethan Middle Brook, Elizabeth Brook,

[3:14:07] the Escet River from runoff

[3:14:12] from projects, from roads, from

[3:14:14] developments. Um, this is one of the

[3:14:18] major sources of pollution to our water

[3:14:20] systems in the state and this is a

[3:14:23] national requirement that plans like

[3:14:26] this, we call them MS4 plans. I heard

[3:14:28] you mention that. Nobody knows what that

[3:14:30] stands for, but it's the municipal

[3:14:33] separate storm sewer system plan. And I

[3:14:39] haven't gone through this with a fine

[3:14:41] tooth chrome, but my question I guess

[3:14:43] would be is who prepared this particular

[3:14:45] plan and was it thoroughly reviewed by

[3:14:48] the planning board or how do we know

[3:14:51] that this is a good plan? So this bylaw

[3:14:54] we had technical assistance from Weston

[3:14:56] and Samson. They've helped many

[3:14:58] communities um develop this and they

[3:15:01] will be assisting us with the rules and

[3:15:02] regulations which will have you know

[3:15:04] that techn you know the real detailed

[3:15:06] reg you know requirements. This is

[3:15:08] really just the framework to get us to

[3:15:10] be able to implement those. But that's

[3:15:12] um and that will be you know they'll be

[3:15:14] developed. We'll have a public you know

[3:15:15] public hearing get input and feedback

[3:15:17] you know make sure that we're doing it

[3:15:19] right and we put you know you know a lot

[3:15:21] of effort into it to protect our

[3:15:22] waterways.

[3:15:28] front microphone.

[3:15:34] » Kathy Spar, 74 West Actton Road. Um,

[3:15:37] everything the DBW director makes said

[3:15:40] makes perfect sense to me. Um, I do have

[3:15:43] a concern though about the breadth of

[3:15:45] this bylaw and the fact that it sets up

[3:15:47] a whole new permitting process before

[3:15:49] the planning board. I understand the

[3:15:52] federal and state requirements um and in

[3:15:54] general there's a oneacre uh disturbance

[3:15:58] requirement but if you look at section

[3:16:00] two applicability and you read the

[3:16:03] second sentence which comes after the

[3:16:05] 1acre requirement it says any activity

[3:16:08] that will alter the drainage

[3:16:10] characteristics of a parcel of land

[3:16:12] unless that activity is exempt.

[3:16:15] So that seems to say notwithstanding

[3:16:18] that oneacre requirement and my concern

[3:16:20] is that there are a whole bunch of

[3:16:22] things that a homeowner might do from

[3:16:24] installing a new gutter drainage system,

[3:16:27] installing a sump pump, redirecting

[3:16:29] driveway water, etc. that then seem like

[3:16:33] they would be subject to this

[3:16:35] requirement. So I wanted to ask about

[3:16:37] that. So that they would be subject to

[3:16:41] the the rules that we promate, but they

[3:16:44] wouldn't wouldn't require a permit. The

[3:16:46] permit's required under like the one

[3:16:47] acre, but if they're discharging into

[3:16:50] the street or, you know, looking to

[3:16:52] change a drain drainage characteristic,

[3:16:55] I mean, I I would expect them to have

[3:16:57] to, you know, protect our waterways.

[3:17:01] I wouldn't expect a lot of that, per se.

[3:17:04] I guess my followup would be who decides

[3:17:07] um what has to apply for a permit and

[3:17:09] what doesn't? There seems like there's

[3:17:11] some ambiguity.

[3:17:12] >> Thanks,

[3:17:16] Mr. Ali. So, um

[3:17:19] obviously a a development with one acre

[3:17:23] or more would have to apply for a

[3:17:24] permit, but you know, folks that are

[3:17:26] doing work at their house would have to

[3:17:28] follow, you know, the rules and

[3:17:29] regulations that we establish. they

[3:17:32] wouldn't necessarily need a permit, but

[3:17:33] you know, if there was a a concern that

[3:17:35] we had, we would be holding them to what

[3:17:38] the SP, you know, the rules and

[3:17:39] regulations are.

[3:17:42] Is there any further comment or debate?

[3:17:45] Seeing none, we will go to a vote on the

[3:17:47] main motion under article 47. This

[3:17:50] requires a simple majority. We'll use

[3:17:52] our clickers and voting will is open now

[3:17:55] for 15 seconds.

[3:18:15] And voting is closed. And by a vote of

[3:18:18] 96 in favor, 34 against, and four

[3:18:23] abstensions, the measure passes.

[3:18:30] brings me to article 48.

[3:18:36] I have a motion being made by the

[3:18:39] petitioner or one of the petitioners,

[3:18:42] Mr. Perry.

[3:18:48] » Thank you, Mr. Mo. Do you have copies?

[3:18:50] Um,

[3:18:51] the moderator and the town council have

[3:18:53] copies.

[3:18:54] >> We do. We're all set. Thank you.

[3:18:58] Mr. Moderator, I move the town ask the

[3:19:01] select board to consider making Common

[3:19:04] Road a two-way street again and further

[3:19:07] to transfer from free cash the sum of

[3:19:10] $100,000

[3:19:13] for Common Road improvements to provide

[3:19:16] funds for engineering and construction

[3:19:18] of Common Road as a two-way road.

[3:19:21] >> Thank you. Do I have a second?

[3:19:23] >> Second.

[3:19:24] I have a motion made and seconded under

[3:19:26] article 48. Uh the finance committee's

[3:19:29] unfavorable recommendation is in the

[3:19:32] warrant. Uh for capital planning's

[3:19:34] recommendation, Mr. Jelan,

[3:19:40] Mr. Moderator, Capital Planning voted

[3:19:42] unanimously to recommend the town not

[3:19:44] support this article. While we recognize

[3:19:46] the possible traffic implications of

[3:19:48] Common Road being a one-way street, we

[3:19:50] believe that addressing this issue is

[3:19:52] best done as part of the Town Center

[3:19:54] study that the planning department

[3:19:55] intends to conduct in FY28.

[3:20:00] » Thank you, Mr. Gelik. And we have a

[3:20:01] presentation by Mr. Perry. Thank you.

[3:20:04] >> Thank you. [clears throat] Um, and

[3:20:05] considering the time, I will keep this

[3:20:07] very brief. I'm Ross Perry for Circuit

[3:20:10] Drive. The drive behind this article is

[3:20:14] that that after experiencing common road

[3:20:17] closed to through traffic for two years

[3:20:19] during the library construction, it

[3:20:22] became obvious to a lot of people that

[3:20:24] forcing more traffic on the Great Road

[3:20:27] is not efficient and it creates new

[3:20:29] hazards.

[3:20:31] Allowing cars to enter and exit Common

[3:20:34] Road from both ends can reduce traffic

[3:20:37] through the traffic light at Library

[3:20:40] Hill Road and Great Road intersection.

[3:20:44] It also can reduce the need to make that

[3:20:46] sharp and dangerous turn from the east

[3:20:49] end of Common Road to the westbound lane

[3:20:52] on Great Road.

[3:20:54] On the other hand, making common road

[3:20:56] one way will not prevent speeding or cut

[3:20:59] through traffic.

[3:21:02] We believe there are design changes to

[3:21:04] common road that can reduce the speed

[3:21:06] and discourage cut through traffic.

[3:21:10] There are also changes that can increase

[3:21:13] parking in the area of the library that

[3:21:15] will address the ZBA requirement for

[3:21:18] parking.

[3:21:20] Maintaining two points of entry and exit

[3:21:23] that have been on common road for

[3:21:25] decades for the library and first parish

[3:21:27] church is essential.

[3:21:30] Town meeting is not the most efficient

[3:21:33] venue for discussing road layouts and

[3:21:36] engineering designs.

[3:21:38] Therefore, this article is asking the

[3:21:40] select board to discuss returning common

[3:21:43] road to two-way traffic at one of their

[3:21:46] future meetings.

[3:21:48] And if the select board agrees to

[3:21:51] provide funds for engineering and

[3:21:53] construction of any required changes,

[3:21:57] we look forward to working with the

[3:21:58] select board and the traffic safety

[3:22:00] committee to fully explore changes that

[3:22:03] will make two-way traffic on common road

[3:22:06] safe and feasible.

[3:22:09] Please vote in favor of article 48.

[3:22:14] >> Thank you, Mr. Perry. Before we start

[3:22:16] debate, just a a word or two of

[3:22:17] clarification. You may note that Mr.

[3:22:20] Perry's motion began with requesting the

[3:22:23] select board to consider making Common

[3:22:25] Road two-way. Again, town meeting and

[3:22:28] council can correct me if I overstate

[3:22:30] this. Town Meeting does not have the

[3:22:31] authority to tell the select board what

[3:22:34] to do, what to consider, especially when

[3:22:37] it comes to roads. So that portion of

[3:22:39] his motion is best understood as a

[3:22:42] non-binding referral of this issue to

[3:22:44] the select board. It also means, and I

[3:22:47] believe Mr. Perry alludes to this, that

[3:22:49] any detailed discussion of road design

[3:22:52] changes is going to be of very

[3:22:54] tangential relevance to this motion. I

[3:22:57] will be asking you, anybody who raises

[3:22:59] it, how it's related to this motion. The

[3:23:02] second part of his motion, however,

[3:23:04] where he asked to transfer $100,000 from

[3:23:06] free cash elsewhere. That is not

[3:23:10] non-binding. That's a binding. That's an

[3:23:11] actual motion. Okay. Let's begin debate

[3:23:16] uh with the front microphone.

[3:23:18] >> Uh Susan Perry, for Circuit Drive at the

[3:23:21] corner of 62. I am the face of the

[3:23:24] petition for everybody. Hi. Uh I got up

[3:23:28] and spoke in front of town meeting about

[3:23:30] 40 years ago.

[3:23:32] The issue 40 years ago was convincing

[3:23:36] town meeting to put in a traffic light

[3:23:39] at 117 and Library Hill Road because a

[3:23:44] pedestrian had been killed trying to

[3:23:46] cross

[3:23:48] right in the location that we're now

[3:23:50] being asked to turn left into Common

[3:23:53] Road. And I feel 40 years later, you

[3:23:56] know, the traffic is not the same.

[3:23:59] It's equally dangerous for cars to be

[3:24:02] turning left to get into Common Road off

[3:24:05] of 117.

[3:24:07] And for many of the people that are

[3:24:09] coming to the library and First Parish,

[3:24:12] all the different activities that both

[3:24:14] of those institutions host, the

[3:24:18] preschool is there, too. It's not safe a

[3:24:21] majority of the day to make a left-hand

[3:24:25] turn. It's also not safe to be coming

[3:24:27] out of there and making a left-hand

[3:24:29] turn. All we're asking is for the select

[3:24:32] board to open this dialogue again after

[3:24:36] two years of living with the road

[3:24:38] completely closed and navigating in and

[3:24:42] out on the east end of 117 and Common

[3:24:46] Road. We'd like to have further

[3:24:48] conversation. We don't feel that this is

[3:24:51] the safest way. I would much prefer to

[3:24:53] be able to come up through that traffic

[3:24:54] light that I fought for 40 years ago

[3:24:57] onto Common Road, Library Hill Road, to

[3:25:00] turn right onto Common Road for going to

[3:25:03] both the library and church functions

[3:25:05] and everything else that's held up that

[3:25:07] way. So, we're just asking for that. The

[3:25:11] $100,000 may or may not be used. It's

[3:25:14] not raising your taxes. It is coming out

[3:25:16] of free cash like some of the other

[3:25:18] articles we just voted for. And it might

[3:25:21] not even be that much money because

[3:25:22] there is some money set aside right now

[3:25:24] to repave common road if I understand

[3:25:27] correctly.

[3:25:28] >> About 30 seconds.

[3:25:30] >> That's what we're asking for is the

[3:25:32] courtesy of a little more opportunity to

[3:25:34] discuss this decision and not wait

[3:25:36] another year.

[3:25:38] >> Thank you. I understand the select board

[3:25:42] may have a statement. Mr. Tulle.

[3:25:47] » Thank you, Mr. Moderator.

[3:25:51] I'd like to just educate folks as to the

[3:25:54] process of how this decision was made

[3:25:58] and where it came from.

[3:26:02] First of all, we did speak with the

[3:26:05] president of the First Parish Church who

[3:26:07] wanted us to know that this is not

[3:26:11] the church's request.

[3:26:14] So the church has not formally requested

[3:26:16] this in any way, shape, manner, or form.

[3:26:21] It comes simply from

[3:26:24] less than two dozen residents who signed

[3:26:27] the petition during

[3:26:30] uh to bring this forward.

[3:26:36] When the library construction

[3:26:40] was coming forward, discussions began in

[3:26:44] 2022,

[3:26:47] so four years ago when the traffic

[3:26:50] safety advisory committee began looking

[3:26:52] at common road

[3:26:54] and the different issues that were uh

[3:26:57] present.

[3:27:00] In August 2023, the select board took it

[3:27:03] up and discussed Common Road and asked

[3:27:06] traffic safety advisory to conduct a

[3:27:09] public hearing on making Common Road a

[3:27:12] one-way street.

[3:27:14] That was done. And from the public

[3:27:17] hearing,

[3:27:19] traffic safety held on October 3rd,

[3:27:23] 2023.

[3:27:24] The traffic safety advisory committee

[3:27:26] voted unanimously to recommend one way

[3:27:30] to the select board.

[3:27:33] On October 10th, 2023,

[3:27:37] the select board took up what the

[3:27:40] recommendation from the traffic safety

[3:27:42] advisory committee had recommended and

[3:27:45] voted unanimously

[3:27:47] based on that recommendation to make

[3:27:50] Common Road a one-way street westbound,

[3:27:53] but still allowing two-way traffic at

[3:27:56] the easternmost entrance to accommodate

[3:28:00] for the First Paris Church and parking

[3:28:03] area.

[3:28:05] The board the board further voted to

[3:28:08] take up to 2 to 5 ft of the town common

[3:28:11] from Library Hill for approximately 100

[3:28:13] ft to add in the marked parking on the

[3:28:18] road for the library.

[3:28:23] October 2nd, 2025,

[3:28:26] traffic safety advisory committee held a

[3:28:29] meeting to discuss closing Common Road

[3:28:32] completely at the library end.

[3:28:37] On October 14th, 2025, the select board

[3:28:41] redised common road.

[3:28:44] With that possibility and after robust

[3:28:46] discussion decided to keep the road a

[3:28:48] oneway,

[3:28:52] the select board in the decision to make

[3:28:54] common road a one-way street was not

[3:28:56] quick.

[3:28:58] It was not impulsive or premature

[3:29:01] decision.

[3:29:03] The decision was made over a period of

[3:29:05] four years and was previously

[3:29:07] reconsidered by both traffic safety

[3:29:10] advisory committee as well as the select

[3:29:13] board.

[3:29:14] In that process,

[3:29:17] a question was asked from our public

[3:29:20] safety. Were there any accidents that

[3:29:22] actually took place? The answer was no.

[3:29:26] There have been no accidents. There have

[3:29:29] been no incidents whatsoever.

[3:29:32] Thank you.

[3:29:34] >> Thank you. Side microphone,

[3:29:36] >> Tom Ryan. Great road. I would still like

[3:29:39] to see this whole issue re-examined. I'd

[3:29:43] rather much rather see common road a

[3:29:45] two-way road.

[3:29:48] >> Is there any further comment or debate?

[3:29:52] >> Seeing none, we'll go to a vote on the

[3:29:58] front microphone.

[3:30:01] I'm not disputing that this decision

[3:30:03] started four years ago and I don't have

[3:30:06] the litany of all the different meetings

[3:30:08] and who attended and the pros and cons.

[3:30:12] I can tell you that at different

[3:30:13] opportunities, people were told this

[3:30:16] decision had already been made and there

[3:30:17] would be no further discussion.

[3:30:20] As recently as a traffic safety

[3:30:22] committee meeting in February of this

[3:30:24] year that I attended and it was on the

[3:30:27] agenda to discuss common road and the

[3:30:30] committee voted to not have any

[3:30:32] conversation about it.

[3:30:34] All we're asking is for an opportunity

[3:30:36] for further conversation. Yes, you've

[3:30:39] had all those meetings. Yes, people have

[3:30:40] said this is how we should do it, but

[3:30:43] after two years of living with the road

[3:30:45] mostly closed,

[3:30:47] more than two dozen people would like to

[3:30:49] open the conversation again. That's all

[3:30:51] we're asking.

[3:30:53] >> Thank you. I'm going to go to front

[3:30:55] microphone. He was a little bit ahead of

[3:30:57] you. Front microphone.

[3:30:59] >> Hi, William Burns, Cuttleplane Road. Um,

[3:31:01] I just want to say last year I was

[3:31:02] coming down 117 and there was a car that

[3:31:05] had come out of Common Road there and

[3:31:07] caused a head-on collision that happened

[3:31:09] right on there. They didn't have good

[3:31:11] visibility. There was a Sto police

[3:31:14] officer coming uh eastbound of there.

[3:31:16] So, they probably panicked a little bit,

[3:31:18] but they came out and went head-on into

[3:31:20] a vehicle in front of me there. So there

[3:31:22] have been accidents there and it is a

[3:31:24] tough spot when you come out of there to

[3:31:26] see the eastbound the westbound traffic

[3:31:28] coming in and to make a decision as

[3:31:30] they're doing often 40 miles an hour

[3:31:33] still there um to be able to see and

[3:31:35] clearly say I can make it out. Okay.

[3:31:39] >> Thank you. Side microphone.

[3:31:41] >> Um Robert Maynard Harvard Road. Um just

[3:31:44] a question. I assume when traffic safety

[3:31:46] looked at this they conducted a traffic

[3:31:48] study that

[3:31:49] >> Can you speak a little closer to the

[3:31:50] mic? I I'm assuming when traffic safety

[3:31:52] looked at this, they conducted a traffic

[3:31:54] study and spent money on that and had

[3:31:56] professional engineers look at this. And

[3:31:58] I was just wondering what the what the

[3:32:00] recommendation was from them, whether a

[3:32:02] two-way or one way.

[3:32:05] >> Hi, Robert. Um,

[3:32:08] >> yes. So, they had consultants review it

[3:32:11] as part of the initial town center

[3:32:13] study. Uh, the consultants all

[3:32:15] recommended that it should either be

[3:32:16] closed entirely or one way. Um they did

[3:32:19] not do full data studies because that

[3:32:21] was intended to so the way that the plan

[3:32:24] worked out was they had made their

[3:32:26] recommendations, traffic safety made

[3:32:27] their recommendations

[3:32:29] for the board to take action. So

[3:32:30] whatever the board decided could be

[3:32:32] included in the full town center study.

[3:32:35] Um so since the board's intention was

[3:32:38] one way, they will work one way and then

[3:32:39] figuring out how to make the

[3:32:40] intersections more safe based on the

[3:32:43] decision of the select board.

[3:32:44] >> Thank you very much.

[3:32:46] >> Thank you. front microphone.

[3:32:47] >> Wendy Bachmann, 28 Lel Drive. Um, every

[3:32:51] time I have come out of Common Road

[3:32:53] since the access in front of the library

[3:32:56] has been closed during the construction,

[3:32:58] I have definitely felt anxious uh coming

[3:33:03] out of Common Road, even to make a

[3:33:05] right-hand turn. So, I'm not crossing

[3:33:08] traffic to go left. Um, I'm making a

[3:33:11] right-hand turn to go westbound toward

[3:33:14] the traffic light. That line of sight as

[3:33:17] you look to your left to make sure it's

[3:33:20] clear is a very short distance and cars

[3:33:24] are coming quickly. And even though I

[3:33:26] have I now have a bright red minivan, I

[3:33:30] am anxious that someone is going to come

[3:33:32] slam into me as I make that sharp turn

[3:33:35] to get onto the onto 117 to go

[3:33:39] westbound.

[3:33:41] >> Thank you. side microphone.

[3:33:44] >> Kathy Leonard, Redacre Road. So, it

[3:33:48] sounded to me as if there was only one

[3:33:51] public facing meeting or forum and that took place several years ago. Um,

[3:33:58] and that the process is considered

[3:34:01] complete now. Uh, but I think maybe

[3:34:05] there needs to be some more public

[3:34:07] input.

[3:34:09] >> Thank you. front microphone

[3:34:11] >> Ed Duca 26 Crescent Street. I think the

[3:34:14] discussions relative to exiting from the

[3:34:19] common road during the time of library

[3:34:22] dis the construction are irrelevant

[3:34:26] because we are going to have with the

[3:34:29] one-way street a two ways of exiting

[3:34:32] from the common. This will not change

[3:34:34] the exiting aspects. So, all of the

[3:34:37] issues related to difficulties exiting

[3:34:40] onto 117 are already addressed by having

[3:34:44] the one-way street that exits onto

[3:34:47] Library Hill Road.

[3:34:49] >> Thank you. Side microphone,

[3:34:53] >> Debbie [clears throat] Woods, Great

[3:34:54] Road. Um, more of a comment. Having been

[3:34:58] someone who has brought citizens

[3:35:00] petitions forward to um town meeting

[3:35:02] first of all I commend the next series

[3:35:06] because it's not an easy thing to do.

[3:35:08] Second of all part of the I take a

[3:35:10] little exception to a comment that um

[3:35:13] Mr. Tulle made and that is you know

[3:35:15] stressing the fact that there was you

[3:35:17] know two dozen signatures. There is a

[3:35:19] minimum requirement required to bring

[3:35:21] something forward to town meeting and

[3:35:22] that number is either 24 or 25. I think

[3:35:25] it is not fair to categorize just

[3:35:28] because the number of um signatures

[3:35:31] needed to bring forward to town meeting

[3:35:34] equates to support. So I would ask the

[3:35:36] select board to be careful with comments

[3:35:38] with that and again kudos to the folks

[3:35:41] bringing forward um the petitions.

[3:35:44] >> Thank you. Any desire to respond to

[3:35:47] that?

[3:35:50] » You don't have to. I'm just asking. No.

[3:35:53] Okay. front microphone.

[3:35:55] >> Uh Pam Weathers, 89 West Actton Road. Um

[3:35:58] a bunch of us are sitting there

[3:36:00] confused.

[3:36:02] One way going east or west and then can

[3:36:05] you exit what direction? So we were like

[3:36:08] sitting there not really it's not clear

[3:36:11] to us what the oneway um limits are and

[3:36:16] you know two-way we understand but one

[3:36:18] way. Can you somebody clarify that

[3:36:20] please? just what's

[3:36:22] >> So, so are you asking what the current

[3:36:24] requirements are?

[3:36:25] >> What the one-way

[3:36:27] deal is because it isn't clear where do

[3:36:30] you enter and are you going are you one

[3:36:33] way east or you one way west on common

[3:36:36] road and can you enter or exit then on

[3:36:39] these different directions?

[3:36:40] >> Mr. Dowski, can you describe the current

[3:36:42] traffic pattern or traffic pattern once

[3:36:45] it's finalized?

[3:36:47] >> Yes. What the board voted for was

[3:36:51] one-way traffic from its entirety

[3:36:54] westbound from 117 to Library Hill.

[3:36:57] However,

[3:36:59] for the church property, the both

[3:37:01] parking lots, you could go two ways. So,

[3:37:03] you could come out of the church parking

[3:37:05] lot and take a left and travel eastbound

[3:37:07] on Common Road to get to 117 or to get

[3:37:10] to other parts of the church. But in

[3:37:12] front of the library is a one-way only

[3:37:16] westbound.

[3:37:20] » Side microphone.

[3:37:24] >> Margaret Costello Road.

[3:37:26] >> Could you speak a little closer to the

[3:37:28] mic? Miss Costello?

[3:37:30] >> Sure. Um, this article 48 is a fairness

[3:37:33] issue. Um, philosophically, um, I do not

[3:37:37] believe that one business entity should

[3:37:39] be allowed to make a change in the

[3:37:41] character of a neighborhood or a shared

[3:37:44] road that is detrimental to another

[3:37:47] business entity. Period. Um,

[3:37:52] in 2022,

[3:37:54] I heard the library planners were

[3:37:56] intending to make Common Road one way.

[3:37:59] Their desire was to create a patio and

[3:38:01] terrace outside the lower library

[3:38:04] entrance. The only available space for

[3:38:06] the concept was to commandeer part of

[3:38:09] common road that is making common road

[3:38:12] one way. My immediate reaction was to

[3:38:16] worry about the detrimental impact on

[3:38:18] the first parish campus. I was told back

[3:38:21] even then that the outcome had already

[3:38:24] been decided. I objected that this

[3:38:28] decision was made by a small group of

[3:38:30] people. I told one member of the group

[3:38:33] that it was unethical to be considering

[3:38:36] a change to Common Road without First

[3:38:39] Parish being at the table at the very

[3:38:42] least as an equal partner.

[3:38:45] After that time, First Parish was

[3:38:48] invited to attend the planning meetings.

[3:38:50] However, the only two options for

[3:38:54] outcome offered for Common Road were one

[3:38:58] closing off the library end of Common

[3:39:00] Road or one-way traffic on Common Road.

[3:39:04] The third option of keeping Common Road

[3:39:07] two-way was never on the table. Even in

[3:39:10] the public forums already been decided

[3:39:14] was the overriding message. And that is

[3:39:17] the message that the first parish church

[3:39:20] representatives brought back to the

[3:39:22] first parish membership. Although there

[3:39:25] is no consensus at first parish for the

[3:39:28] final outcome, no one would say that

[3:39:32] having common road one way with one

[3:39:35] access point makes for increased safety

[3:39:38] or improved vehicular logistics. This

[3:39:41] one-way option does nothing to improve

[3:39:44] the First Parish campus.

[3:39:47] >> I have never been given a voice in this.

[3:39:49] >> Ma'am, I think you're over your time.

[3:39:50] Thank you very much.

[3:39:52] >> Do you want to say one more sentence to

[3:39:53] kind of wrap it up?

[3:39:54] >> I've never been given a voice in this

[3:39:56] and I encourage you to allow more voices

[3:39:59] to give an opinion on this particular

[3:40:01] topic.

[3:40:02] >> Thank you.

[3:40:04] >> Front microphone.

[3:40:06] >> Mark Groomman, Elmidge Road. Um, if I

[3:40:09] understood the comment by the by Mr.

[3:40:11] Dowski,

[3:40:13] although there is allowed one-way

[3:40:16] traffic,

[3:40:17] exits can be made from both sides. I

[3:40:21] think that's a recipe for disaster. I

[3:40:23] think that if there's going to be an

[3:40:24] accident at the entrance of 117 between

[3:40:29] a car entering and a car exiting from

[3:40:31] say the church, it's going to be very

[3:40:32] difficult to determine who had the right

[3:40:34] of way and whether a vi a law was

[3:40:36] violated. Um I simply think this is a

[3:40:38] good idea to revisit this. So I support

[3:40:40] this article. Thank you.

[3:40:42] >> Thank you. I understand there's a

[3:40:44] follow-up comment from the select board.

[3:40:45] Is that correct?

[3:40:47] >> I just I wanted a point of clarification

[3:40:49] from the planning board. Um, I believe

[3:40:52] it was the planning board's engineer

[3:40:54] that um recommended that the road be one

[3:40:57] way and so if someone could speak to

[3:41:00] that that would be

[3:41:06] » so in the meantime side microphone

[3:41:10] John clone Armano Boxville Road uh full

[3:41:14] disclosure also a member of the planning

[3:41:16] board u just wanted to say that I I I am

[3:41:20] in favor of revisiting this. The concern

[3:41:23] with this particular petition for me is

[3:41:26] the $100,000

[3:41:28] number which isn't clear what would be

[3:41:31] done with that and how it would be used.

[3:41:33] My other comment is that given that

[3:41:35] there is a plan to uh have a design of

[3:41:40] the town center, it seems like this

[3:41:43] would be better to be done in the

[3:41:44] context of that analysis uh to consider

[3:41:48] it as a whole of town center. Thank you.

[3:41:51] >> Thank you. Did I hear a question with

[3:41:53] regard to the $100,000?

[3:41:56] » I Okay. Thank you. Miss Clark, do you

[3:42:00] have something in response to the

[3:42:01] question from the select board?

[3:42:03] >> Um, I think as mentioned earlier, um the initial town center study um was the

[3:42:13] engineer was asked um what the best

[3:42:17] recommendation would be and at that time

[3:42:19] they did say one way or um closing. Um

[3:42:25] it

[3:42:28] again it's not that an extensive study

[3:42:32] traffic wise was done. This was more

[3:42:35] asking a consultant for input of what

[3:42:39] was there at the time. Um

[3:42:43] that's that's that's all I got.

[3:42:45] >> Thank you. And front microphone Mr.

[3:42:47] Perry Ross Perry for Circuit Drive.

[3:42:50] There was a question about the $100,000.

[3:42:53] We were advised that if we had a

[3:42:55] petition and asked the select to make a

[3:42:57] change, there should be a way to fund

[3:42:59] that change if they should agree. So, we

[3:43:02] picked 100,000 hoping that would be

[3:43:04] enough to cover it. If they don't use it

[3:43:07] or need all of it, that goes back to

[3:43:09] free cash.

[3:43:11] There is references to the traffic

[3:43:13] safety or the traffic the town center

[3:43:16] study that's being planned that's been

[3:43:19] put on hold because there was no funding

[3:43:21] available this year. So that it could be

[3:43:24] two or three years down the road before

[3:43:26] we hear the results. That's why we're

[3:43:29] asking the selectman to revisit the

[3:43:32] topic of common road being two-way.

[3:43:34] revisit it now, not wait two to three

[3:43:38] years for the TRA for the town center

[3:43:41] study.

[3:43:42] >> So, I just want to clarify with council

[3:43:46] if the motion that is currently on the

[3:43:48] floor passes

[3:43:50] the $100,000 transfers from free cash to

[3:43:54] another account. Correct. And will only

[3:43:56] go back to free cash if there is a

[3:43:58] further vote of town meeting

[3:44:00] transferring it back. Correct.

[3:44:20] uh

[3:44:21] >> well miss Dowski can comment.

[3:44:25] So the way all of our articles work when

[3:44:27] funding is appropriated into articles uh

[3:44:30] from this board when the either

[3:44:32] expenditure is made or the study is

[3:44:34] completed any funding um that is that

[3:44:37] remains we close out to free cash. Um

[3:44:40] usually you know as you see some of

[3:44:42] these articles maybe a round number if

[3:44:44] there's you know $2,500 left it we close

[3:44:47] it out. So if the select board if this

[3:44:49] article passes and the select board

[3:44:51] decide a they don't want to revisit it

[3:44:54] um and money has been appropriated we

[3:44:56] would close that article at the end of

[3:44:57] the fiscal year. If they choose to

[3:44:59] revisit it and they need some of that

[3:45:01] funding whatever they need will be spent

[3:45:03] and then whatever remains we'll revert

[3:45:04] back to free cash. So it's a process we

[3:45:06] do at the end of every fiscal year. We

[3:45:08] look at all the articles and see if the

[3:45:09] matter that was voted on has been

[3:45:11] completed and if so the funding goes

[3:45:12] back to free cashache.

[3:45:15] >> Thank you. That answered the question.

[3:45:17] Is there any further comment or debate?

[3:45:22] » An an Saddler Elliot Drive. Um,

[3:45:28] as somebody who's lived in the town for

[3:45:30] nearly 40 years,

[3:45:32] I have found the last two years

[3:45:34] extremely stressful driving um to enter

[3:45:39] the um campus with the library and the

[3:45:42] church approaching from the west on um

[3:45:48] 117.

[3:45:50] Um, turning at the traffic lights left

[3:45:52] is no problem, but once you're on R 117,

[3:45:55] then you're trying to turn left into the

[3:45:58] campus. Traffic is building up behind

[3:46:00] you. People are trying to squeeze

[3:46:01] through on the inside, and there's

[3:46:03] non-stop traffic coming the other way on

[3:46:05] 117.

[3:46:07] Um, the other point I'd like to make is

[3:46:09] that I think that my personal opinion is

[3:46:13] it's premature to make a decision on the

[3:46:15] direction of the road before we've

[3:46:17] actually

[3:46:19] um lived with

[3:46:22] uh just one entrance into the campus.

[3:46:25] And I think although we have two

[3:46:27] egresses, I think we need two entrances

[3:46:30] as well. Thank you.

[3:46:32] >> Thank you. Just a reminder, this is a

[3:46:34] non there's a vote on a non-binding

[3:46:36] resolution. Um the select board may

[3:46:39] choose not even to consider it or if

[3:46:41] they do consider it, what they do is up

[3:46:43] to them, except of course for the

[3:46:44] $100,000 part, which is binding. Front

[3:46:47] microphone.

[3:46:48] >> Uh Janet Crestle Moff at 185 Harvard

[3:46:50] Road. My question is, can the select

[3:46:54] board decide to at any time with or

[3:46:57] without this warrant article to bring up

[3:47:00] the question of traffic on common road?

[3:47:05] » Yes. So, we have traffic rules and

[3:47:07] regulations that the town of Stow

[3:47:09] adopted in 1979 uh and mass general law

[3:47:12] that puts full authority of roadways in

[3:47:14] a town in the select board's hands.

[3:47:16] That's why they were the authority that

[3:47:18] made this decision starting four years

[3:47:19] ago. um they often look at roads,

[3:47:22] traffic safety will come in and talk

[3:47:24] about speeds on roads, direction of

[3:47:26] roads. That authority rests solely with

[3:47:27] the five members of the select board. So

[3:47:29] they could at any time decide that they

[3:47:32] want to revisit it. Again, they could

[3:47:33] decide they don't want to revisit it.

[3:47:35] It's up to the five members.

[3:47:38] >> Side microphone.

[3:47:41] >> Hector Constanzos 34 meeting house lane.

[3:47:45] Nobody's talking about the reason, one

[3:47:47] of the reasons that this was turned into

[3:47:49] a one-way road is because of safety for

[3:47:53] parents and children that are crossing

[3:47:55] between cars and the library

[3:47:59] on the Library Hill end of Common Road.

[3:48:03] Cars turning into Common Road from

[3:48:06] Library Hill were zipping in and there

[3:48:09] were me, many, many near misses of

[3:48:12] people almost hit because especially

[3:48:15] cars coming from the intersection of

[3:48:18] Library Hill and Crescent Street. They

[3:48:20] were trying to be traffic that was

[3:48:21] coming up from Gleondale after the light

[3:48:24] turns green or for any other reason they

[3:48:27] were trying to avoid the light and just

[3:48:29] zipping into common road and almost

[3:48:31] hitting people that were crossing

[3:48:32] between the library and the cars parked

[3:48:35] across the street.

[3:48:37] The main reason I voted as a member of

[3:48:39] the select board to go to a one-way

[3:48:43] street was to see if that would stop

[3:48:46] that dangerous situation. When you turn

[3:48:49] into Common Road from 117, you have

[3:48:53] plenty of time to look ahead of you and

[3:48:56] see if there's anybody that any

[3:48:58] pedestrians crossing so you can slow

[3:49:00] down before you hit somebody. We have

[3:49:04] seen what it's like to have two-way

[3:49:06] traffic on Common Road. The past two

[3:49:08] years has shown us what it's like to

[3:49:09] have Common Road closed off.

[3:49:12] Let's give one-way traffic a shot and

[3:49:16] see what common road is like overall,

[3:49:19] who it endangers and who it doesn't,

[3:49:22] and then we can always change it in a

[3:49:24] couple of years.

[3:49:26] >> Thank you. Front microphone,

[3:49:28] >> Malice Duca, 26 Crescent Street,

[3:49:31] formerly old, now historic.

[3:49:34] Um, [clears throat] I would like to uh

[3:49:37] say that this area, which is right near

[3:49:39] my house, is more of a TARDIS, as in

[3:49:42] Doctor Who, in which it's bigger on the

[3:49:44] outside than it is on the inside. The

[3:49:47] whole area is kind of squished in there

[3:49:49] with a lot of things going on. It's a

[3:49:51] one-way street, but it's not a one-way

[3:49:53] street. You know, it isn't actually

[3:49:55] one-way street right now. It's two ways

[3:49:57] in some places. So, [clears throat] I

[3:50:00] would like to see the comprehensive uh

[3:50:02] planning approach where you're looking

[3:50:04] at the entire area

[3:50:07] fix this problem um and not uh sub I

[3:50:12] feel like I [clears throat] feel like

[3:50:14] the level of upset about the

[3:50:18] communication about this project

[3:50:21] demonstrates that there needs to be

[3:50:22] further discussion and that it has to be

[3:50:24] included in this discussion of the

[3:50:25] redesign of the sound center. Um, and we

[3:50:28] need to make sure the voices are heard

[3:50:30] because this isn't really uncomfortable.

[3:50:33] I really love debate. I like hearing

[3:50:34] about firet trucks. I like hearing

[3:50:36] about, you know, all the things on town

[3:50:38] meeting floor and the discussions and

[3:50:40] stuff, but people are not comfortable

[3:50:42] means that the communication is not

[3:50:44] adequate. So, I'd like to see more of

[3:50:46] that. And thank you.

[3:50:48] >> Thank you, Miss Woods. I think I want to

[3:50:50] go to the two individuals behind you

[3:50:52] have not spoken yet.

[3:50:55] >> John Catcher, Harvard Road. I move the

[3:50:57] question.

[3:50:58] >> Thank you. I have a motion. Uh well, do

[3:51:01] I have a second?

[3:51:02] >> Second.

[3:51:03] >> I have a motion made and seconded to

[3:51:04] call the question. That means to end

[3:51:06] debate. This is not debatable. Uh this

[3:51:09] requires a twothird vote and we will use

[3:51:13] our clickers. Um again, we are voting on

[3:51:16] the motion to call the question, which

[3:51:18] means to end debate. If you have heard

[3:51:21] enough and you want to go to another

[3:51:23] vote on the main motion, then you vote

[3:51:26] yes. If you have not heard enough, if

[3:51:29] you want to continue the debate, then

[3:51:30] you vote no.

[3:51:35] » And we just need one second. So, I guess

[3:51:37] I got to stall. So, everybody understand

[3:51:39] that that that vote again. We're now

[3:51:40] voting on the motion to call the

[3:51:42] question. If you have heard enough, you

[3:51:44] vote yes. If you have not heard enough,

[3:51:46] you vote no. Either way, we go to

[3:51:48] another vote on the main motion.

[3:51:52] >> Two3.

[3:51:55] >> All set.

[3:51:57] >> And voting is open now

[3:52:01] for 15 seconds.

[3:52:20] Voting is closed and by a vote,

[3:52:24] let's let the software finish.

[3:52:28] By a vote of 118 in favor and 15

[3:52:31] against, the motion to call the question

[3:52:34] passes. We'll now go to another vote on

[3:52:37] the main motion. The main motion vote

[3:52:40] requires only a simple majority, but we

[3:52:43] will still use our clickers again. You

[3:52:45] ready, Zack?

[3:52:48] >> This is a simple majority.

[3:52:53] » Voting will be open for 15 seconds

[3:52:56] beginning now.

[3:53:12] And voting is closed.

[3:53:15] And by a vote of 76 in favor, 49

[3:53:20] against, and five abstensions, the

[3:53:22] motion passes.

[3:53:28] That brings us to article 49,

[3:53:32] a citizens petition. And I believe I

[3:53:34] have Miss Waller

[3:53:36] making a motion.

[3:53:45] Hello, my name is Kelly Lawler. I live

[3:53:47] at 170 Hudson Road and I move for

[3:53:50] article 49, the citizens petition in

[3:53:54] support of changing the mass state flag

[3:53:56] and seal for favorable action as written

[3:53:59] with one exception. If you've read

[3:54:01] through the petition, um we need to

[3:54:04] replace Kate Hudson with Rep. Kate

[3:54:08] Hogan. Um, I've been watching a little

[3:54:10] bit too much P. Um, Running Point. If

[3:54:13] you haven't seen it, it's kind of like

[3:54:15] Succession and meets Ted Lasso.

[3:54:18] >> Thank you, Miss Waller. Is there a

[3:54:19] second?

[3:54:21] >> That slightly amended motion is within

[3:54:24] scope of the original. Your finance

[3:54:26] committee's nonrecommendation

[3:54:28] recommendation is in the warrant. Miss

[3:54:30] Lawler, I think you have a brief

[3:54:33] presentation.

[3:54:34] >> I do. I think you have the slides.

[3:54:39] Uh, do you have a clicker over there?

[3:54:42] >> Excellent. Thank you. Uh, so hello. My

[3:54:44] name is Kelly Lawler. I live at 170

[3:54:46] Hudson Road. I am um speaking as an

[3:54:49] individual here today. Uh, I'm a proud

[3:54:51] community member, mother, educator, and

[3:54:53] advocate. Uh, I volunteer my time for

[3:54:57] many committees and boards. Um, the Stow

[3:54:59] Historical Society and Rediscover Maple

[3:55:02] have kind of become my main focus right

[3:55:04] now. Um and I just want to reiterate

[3:55:06] that this petition petition has no

[3:55:08] funding associated with it. It is a

[3:55:11] crucial practice to recognize the Nipmuk

[3:55:14] Massachusett

[3:55:16] peoples along with many other indigenous

[3:55:19] nations who are the traditional stewards

[3:55:21] of the land now known as Massachusetts.

[3:55:24] Acknowledging that this land is

[3:55:26] unseated, meaning it was never legally

[3:55:28] given up through treaty, is a necessary

[3:55:31] step toward recognizing the ongoing

[3:55:33] impacts of colonization and honoring the

[3:55:36] enduring president, presence of culture

[3:55:39] and sovereignty of indigenous peoples.

[3:55:42] This petition asks the town's people of

[3:55:45] Stowe at today's annual town meeting to

[3:55:47] adopt a resolution supporting the work

[3:55:50] of a state advisory commission on

[3:55:52] redesigning the Massachusetts state flag

[3:55:55] and seal.

[3:55:57] The Massachusetts Seal, Flag, and Motto

[3:56:00] Advisory Commission, established by

[3:56:03] chapter 140 of the Acts of 2024, is

[3:56:06] tasked with creating a new inclusive and

[3:56:09] aspirational design to replace the

[3:56:11] current state imagery. The initiative

[3:56:14] focuses on a 2021 special commission

[3:56:17] report determining that the current flag

[3:56:20] featuring a colonial sword above the

[3:56:22] head of a Native American figure causes

[3:56:25] harm and celebrates violence against our

[3:56:28] indigenous peoples still living with us

[3:56:30] today. So, how did we get here?

[3:56:34] In 1629, the original seal of the

[3:56:38] Massachusetts Bay Colony shows an

[3:56:39] indigenous caricature. If we could just

[3:56:41] move to the next slide. Um I do have a

[3:56:44] flyer that points out some of the

[3:56:45] problems um with our current flag. An

[3:56:48] indigenous caricature wearing a loin

[3:56:50] cloth of leaves holding one downward

[3:56:53] pointed arrow as a symbol of submission.

[3:56:55] A peaceful narrative stereotype that

[3:56:58] plays into the noble savage trope with

[3:57:01] the speech balloon coming out of his

[3:57:03] mouth with the words come over and help

[3:57:04] us. We still have the same downward

[3:57:08] pointed arrow in the flag and seal

[3:57:11] today. These symbols are dangerously

[3:57:14] inaccurate, disregarding the reality of

[3:57:17] sophisticated diplomacy, complex

[3:57:20] politics, and the diverse warrior

[3:57:22] traditions of various tribes within New

[3:57:24] England. We tried to make some positive

[3:57:26] changes, I think, um, in 1775 with the

[3:57:30] revolutionary seal. Um, it was created

[3:57:33] uh because royal governor Thomas Gage

[3:57:37] held the official province seal and

[3:57:39] commissioned Paul Rivere, happy 250th,

[3:57:44] uh, to engrave a new seal. This seal

[3:57:46] shows a minute man holding a copy of the

[3:57:48] Magna Carta symbolizing no taxation

[3:57:51] without representation in one hand and

[3:57:54] holding a broad sword in the other.

[3:57:58] After the Revolutionary War, the seal of

[3:58:00] Massachusetts reverted to an image of an

[3:58:03] indigenous person with one downward

[3:58:06] pointed arrow, no quiver of arrows. In

[3:58:08] other words, the native person is not

[3:58:10] armed for battle, but now the broad

[3:58:13] sword is held by a white hand over the

[3:58:16] head of a native person. Artists

[3:58:18] rendered it in various ways for over a

[3:58:21] century. And this is a particularly

[3:58:23] scary rendition of a gross of gross

[3:58:26] white supremacy, neither welcoming nor

[3:58:28] accurate for a flag representative of

[3:58:31] all people of the Commonwealth.

[3:58:34] Later in 19 in 1898

[3:58:37] um in the late late 19th century, the

[3:58:40] Secretary of State wanted to eliminate

[3:58:41] artistic freedom and standardize the

[3:58:44] flag. um since the Revolutionary War.

[3:58:47] The legislation voted um in 1898 for the

[3:58:50] design to be created by illustrator

[3:58:52] Edmund Garrett, which we are still

[3:58:55] living with today. Garrett used a

[3:58:57] skeleton of a native person unearthed in

[3:58:59] the town of Winthrop to come up with the

[3:59:01] bodily proportions of this native

[3:59:03] figure.

[3:59:05] um the person uh that was originally

[3:59:08] shot in the town of of Sudbury and the

[3:59:11] name of the person whose bow we are

[3:59:14] using in the state flag we have no

[3:59:17] record of um historically.

[3:59:20] He used, this artist used features of

[3:59:22] Ojiway chief from Montana named Little

[3:59:25] Shell for the facial features of the

[3:59:26] flag and seal because he considered him

[3:59:29] to be a fine specimen of an Indian,

[3:59:32] although not from Massachusetts. And he

[3:59:34] used the broad sword that belonged to

[3:59:37] Miles Standish as the model for the

[3:59:40] sword that we still have hanging over a

[3:59:42] Native American neighbor as we know that

[3:59:46] they are still here today. Finally, in

[3:59:48] 1984 and 1985, the legislature

[3:59:52] um had a study um to recommission and to redo the flag and the seal. Native

[3:59:59] American leaders have been calling for

[4:00:01] Massachusetts to take down the sword

[4:00:03] that has been held over this head um and

[4:00:05] this figure as our state symbol for more

[4:00:07] than 50 years. And there are 88 cities

[4:00:09] and towns in the Commonwealth that

[4:00:12] support changing it. Today, the town of

[4:00:14] Stove can add their voice to that

[4:00:16] growing list of cities and towns, asking

[4:00:18] our legislators to make it a priority to

[4:00:20] finally get this done. Um, this is the

[4:00:22] last state flag of overt white supremacy

[4:00:25] still flying today. Um, and I want to

[4:00:28] thank David Demold, who's not not here

[4:00:30] right now, um, but he is a part of the

[4:00:33] change the mass flag initiative and MA

[4:00:36] indigenous agenda, which you can find

[4:00:38] readily available online. I I think I

[4:00:42] think we're at the end of our time.

[4:00:43] >> All right. Thank you very much.

[4:00:45] >> Thank you.

[4:00:47] >> Um before we begin debate, just a very

[4:00:49] quick note. Uh again, this should be

[4:00:52] understood as a sense of the town

[4:00:54] resolution. There is a very small part

[4:00:57] of this uh petition at the bottom that

[4:01:01] purports to direct the town clerk to

[4:01:03] send the proclamation to a certain to

[4:01:06] certain people with certain requests.

[4:01:08] Again, town meeting does not have the

[4:01:10] power to direct town boards or officers

[4:01:13] to do particular things on particular

[4:01:14] ways on particular days. So, that part

[4:01:17] of it should be regarded as non-binding.

[4:01:20] With those brief words of caution, are

[4:01:23] there any word are there any uh debate

[4:01:26] or comment?

[4:01:28] And seeing none, we will go to a vote.

[4:01:31] This the main motion under article 49

[4:01:34] requires a simple majority. We will use

[4:01:37] our clickers

[4:01:38] and voting will be open for 15 seconds

[4:01:42] beginning now.

[4:02:03] And voting is closed. And by a vote of

[4:02:07] 95 in favor to 20 against and three

[4:02:10] abstensions, the motion passes.

[4:02:17] And article 50, I believe I have a

[4:02:20] motion by Mr. Roberts.

[4:02:25] Lisa, can you show him where the ramp

[4:02:28] is?

[4:02:29] He may know.

[4:03:01] Excuse me. Uh, there's no handing

[4:03:04] anything out until the end, so please

[4:03:07] put it on the voter information table. I

[4:03:09] explained that to the petition sponsors

[4:03:12] before this.

[4:03:16] » I I can't hear you.

[4:03:20] » On the table,

[4:03:26] » Mr. Roberts, you have a motion.

[4:03:29] >> Um, hello everyone. Thank you for

[4:03:32] staying to the bitter end of town

[4:03:33] meeting. Um,

[4:03:36] I move that article 50 be adopted as

[4:03:40] written.

[4:03:42] And if I could have slide one. Do I have

[4:03:44] a second?

[4:03:47] >> Your finance committee's uh

[4:03:49] non-recommendation is in the warrant.

[4:03:53] And

[4:03:55] we do have a presentation. Do you have a

[4:03:57] clicker?

[4:03:59] >> I don't have a a slide clicker.

[4:04:03] >> Here. Oh, sorry.

[4:04:07] >> Okay.

[4:04:10] So, I want to click that one.

[4:04:12] >> Got it.

[4:04:12] >> Go ahead, Mr. Roberts.

[4:04:13] >> Okay. Article 50 gives Stowe an

[4:04:16] opportunity to do something that's

[4:04:18] worthy of our revolutionary history. On

[4:04:21] the 250th anniversary of the Declaration

[4:04:24] of Independence, we can issue a

[4:04:26] declaration supporting our democracy. By

[4:04:30] passing this article, Stow will join

[4:04:32] over a hundred other cities, towns, and

[4:04:36] counties across the country, including

[4:04:39] Boston, Brooklyn, and 10 other

[4:04:41] Massachusetts municipalities,

[4:04:43] standing up for democracy and calling on

[4:04:46] the federal government, the president,

[4:04:48] Congress to follow the Constitution, and

[4:04:51] the rule of law.

[4:04:54] Our

[4:04:56] declaration reaffirms the values that

[4:04:59] our men forefathers marched for in the

[4:05:03] battle of Lexington and conquered. And

[4:05:05] I'll note on the inside back cover are

[4:05:08] the names of the 81 minute men from Stow

[4:05:11] who were engaged in that battle.

[4:05:16] The declaration reaffirms our rights to

[4:05:19] freedom of speech, freedom of the press,

[4:05:22] due process, protection from unlawful

[4:05:26] search and seizure, the separation of

[4:05:28] church and state, and supports the

[4:05:32] fundamental truth that no person, not

[4:05:34] even the president, stands above the

[4:05:36] law.

[4:05:38] The declaration calls out the

[4:05:41] constitutional violations that have

[4:05:43] recently occurred and continue to occur.

[4:05:46] The congressional authority to tax and

[4:05:48] spend is being undermined by the

[4:05:51] president at the same time that what the

[4:05:54] Congress advocates its constitutional

[4:05:57] responsibilities.

[4:05:59] The executive branch and department of

[4:06:01] justice are defying federal court

[4:06:03] orders. Our military and civil service

[4:06:06] are being politicized. The separation of

[4:06:09] church and state is being eroded. There

[4:06:12] are systematic violations of the checks

[4:06:15] and balances the constitution was

[4:06:17] designed to protect. Each of these are a

[4:06:21] departure not merely from one political

[4:06:24] party's preferences but from the

[4:06:27] constitutional order itself.

[4:06:32] The declaration also demands

[4:06:34] accountability from the Department of

[4:06:36] Homeland Security, Customs and Border

[4:06:40] Protection, and ICE. These agencies have

[4:06:43] routinely detained people without due

[4:06:45] process, defied court orders, and

[4:06:48] conducted operations targeting people

[4:06:51] based on race, national organ origin,

[4:06:55] immigration status rather than genu

[4:06:58] genuine legal violations.

[4:07:01] The declaration calls for the Trump

[4:07:04] administration and Congress to follow

[4:07:06] the Constitution, the law, and court

[4:07:09] orders. It also calls for protection of

[4:07:12] the free press, defense of peaceful

[4:07:15] protesters, no arrests or deportations

[4:07:18] without due process, compliance with

[4:07:21] federal court orders, an end to

[4:07:24] targeting people by race, origin, and

[4:07:26] immigration status.

[4:07:28] Unfortunately, the president has gotten

[4:07:31] us into a war with Iran, which has

[4:07:34] already cost us 72 billion dollar. The

[4:07:38] Constitution explicitly gives Congress

[4:07:41] the power to declare war. And the reason

[4:07:44] for this is so that all alternatives

[4:07:47] will be debated before plunging this

[4:07:49] country into war.

[4:07:53] These are not partisan principles. They

[4:07:56] are fundamental tenants of the republics

[4:07:58] that our ancestors helped found. They

[4:08:01] are the soul of America.

[4:08:03] What will some will ask what will this

[4:08:06] accomplish? But anybody who spent a

[4:08:09] night with a mosquito in their bedroom

[4:08:11] knows the power of small things. And

[4:08:14] today the answer is the same as it was

[4:08:17] in 1775.

[4:08:19] Our declaration accomp accomplishes

[4:08:22] everything that courage and conscious

[4:08:25] can accomplish when ordinary people

[4:08:27] refuse to be silent. When Stowe speaks,

[4:08:31] it speaks with 251 years of earned moral

[4:08:35] authority behind it. Please vote to have

[4:08:38] the select board issue the declaration

[4:08:41] as set forth in article 50 on July 4th

[4:08:45] of this year, the 250th anniversary of

[4:08:48] the Declaration of Independence. Thank

[4:08:50] you.

[4:08:51] >> Thank you, Mr. Roberts. Now, apparently

[4:08:53] there there will be Thank you. There is

[4:08:56] some new information that was not

[4:08:58] available, new written information that

[4:09:00] was not available at the beginning of

[4:09:01] town meeting, but is now available over

[4:09:03] on the side table. Uh, a couple of

[4:09:06] precautions before debate. Um, similar

[4:09:09] to the last two articles, this should

[4:09:11] best be viewed as a sense of the town

[4:09:13] resolution. There's a small portion of

[4:09:15] it that Mr. Roberts alluded to directing

[4:09:17] the select board to issue something on a

[4:09:20] particular day that is not binding. That

[4:09:24] small portion should be regarded as

[4:09:26] nonbinding. Other than that, it is a

[4:09:28] sense of the town resolution. I want to

[4:09:31] repeat what I said at the beginning. No

[4:09:33] applause and no booing. Applause and

[4:09:36] booing can be intimidating to people who

[4:09:38] have opinions that may not be perceived

[4:09:40] to be popular and we simply cannot have

[4:09:43] it. And with those few words of caution,

[4:09:45] do we have any comment or debate

[4:09:51] front mic fighting two polite gentlemen

[4:09:55] fighting over who goes first.

[4:09:58] >> Ross Perry, Circuit Drive. I support

[4:10:01] this um article. I think it's

[4:10:03] [clears throat] time that we stand up

[4:10:04] and have the Constitution enforced the

[4:10:06] way it was supposed to. I also want to

[4:10:09] make a bit of a public service

[4:10:11] announcement. The select board agenda

[4:10:13] for their meeting next week, May 12th,

[4:10:16] includes the topic town meeting recap.

[4:10:20] Discuss and vote implications to the

[4:10:22] select board on citizens petitions. for

[4:10:25] the last for this article and the

[4:10:27] previous two articles. It would be great

[4:10:30] to show up and let the selectman know

[4:10:32] that we're serious about trying to have

[4:10:34] those votes enforced. Thank you.

[4:10:37] >> Thank you. Side microphone.

[4:10:39] >> Shirley, sorry. Shirley Birfield, 200

[4:10:42] Barton Road. And I support this article.

[4:10:46] This is not a matter of it's not a

[4:10:48] partisan matter. It's a matter of life

[4:10:51] or death of our democracy. And I

[4:10:54] couldn't live with myself if I didn't

[4:10:56] speak up or face my grandchildren and

[4:11:00] explaining why I took no action when our

[4:11:03] constitution is in danger. Thank you.

[4:11:06] >> Thank you. And front microphone,

[4:11:09] >> Alen Pierce again, 284 Red Road. I

[4:11:12] support this wholeheartedly. Um and I I

[4:11:16] really encourage my fellow citizens of Stowe to support this.

[4:11:21] I I don't know if all of you understand

[4:11:25] what a significant role played during

[4:11:30] the events of April 19th, 1775

[4:11:34] and thereafter. We are living in a

[4:11:38] historic community here. Um, many of you

[4:11:42] know what happened at the North Bridge,

[4:11:44] but why did it happen? The British were

[4:11:46] coming out to James Barrett's farm,

[4:11:49] which was on Barretts Mill Road right

[4:11:51] over here in in Conquered, to get some

[4:11:55] armaments that were stored, which

[4:11:56] included a couple of uh brass cannons

[4:11:59] that had been stolen from the British.

[4:12:01] And General Gage in Boston was very

[4:12:04] angry. He was poed and he wanted his

[4:12:07] cannons back. But the patriots got word

[4:12:10] of it. And where did they store those

[4:12:12] cannons so that they couldn't be found?

[4:12:14] They stored them in stove and they

[4:12:16] stored them on Henry Gardner's farm.

[4:12:20] People know Henry Gardner. Do you know

[4:12:22] who Henry Gardner is? We have Gardener

[4:12:24] Hill right here in the town forest. And

[4:12:27] so when the British came out and

[4:12:28] couldn't find their armamentance, they

[4:12:31] were annoyed. Why? And and meanwhile

[4:12:34] back at the ranch at the bridge,

[4:12:37] British set out their their troops so

[4:12:41] that they could protect

[4:12:44] the people coming back from Verrett's

[4:12:46] farm, the troops, and that's when the

[4:12:48] battle started. And unfortunately, our

[4:12:52] minute men arrived a little bit late for

[4:12:53] that, but they were awarded commenations

[4:12:57] for the battle along battle road because

[4:13:00] they were distinguished. They they

[4:13:03] caused so many casualties that they

[4:13:05] awarded special commenation, 81 people

[4:13:09] from Stow. We were very much involved in

[4:13:12] and I hope we can continue to be

[4:13:13] involved now. Thank you.

[4:13:15] >> Thank you. Signed microphone.

[4:13:19] >> Wes Fisher 200 Barton Road in Stowe and

[4:13:24] really uh having the audience still here

[4:13:29] to uh hear this eloquent statement. Uh

[4:13:34] I'm very supportive of it. I want to

[4:13:36] look to the future. I'm quite concerned

[4:13:39] about July 4th and what will have

[4:13:42] happened by July 4th. I'm very worried

[4:13:45] about ICE because it's huge. It's the

[4:13:48] size of the Canadian Army. Um and what might be done if ICE changes its

[4:13:55] name. So very very important for us all

[4:13:59] to listen and and respond to this.

[4:14:03] Thanks.

[4:14:05] >> Thank you. Before we go any further, I

[4:14:06] do think the select board has a

[4:14:08] statement to make. Mr. Peterson,

[4:14:13] » uh, so I just wanted to take the chance

[4:14:15] to sort of recall actions and meetings

[4:14:19] that have already taken place um where

[4:14:21] the select board was discussing um this

[4:14:24] matter, a very similar matter um in the

[4:14:26] last year. So uh the select board did

[4:14:29] schedule time at four meetings and had

[4:14:31] extensive discussions on a declaration

[4:14:34] of for democracy. June 10th of last year

[4:14:37] the proclamation request uh went before

[4:14:40] the select board and we discussed

[4:14:42] extensively

[4:14:43] uh agreed to sign a sort of tonedown

[4:14:48] letter on democracy um with less less

[4:14:51] politically charged rhetoric. Uh June

[4:14:54] 24th, the select board revisited the

[4:14:56] signing of the revised letter as there

[4:14:59] were still too many political

[4:15:01] implications. to be a little bit more

[4:15:02] specific about that. Um, one example,

[4:15:06] the the so-called big beautiful bill was

[4:15:09] something that even though there was

[4:15:11] general and collective

[4:15:13] um

[4:15:16] uh disagreement say with with the

[4:15:18] legislation, the the idea was that it

[4:15:21] was done through constitutional avenues

[4:15:25] and it was done following the norms um

[4:15:28] of our democracy. So there might have

[4:15:30] been personal disagreement about it, but

[4:15:32] that it was following uh constitutional

[4:15:34] norms.

[4:15:37] September 23rd, the select board once

[4:15:40] again had extensive discussions about

[4:15:41] the proclamation request. And October

[4:15:44] 7th, the board voted to approve a

[4:15:46] democracy statement and a letter

[4:15:48] supporting actions to protect America's

[4:15:51] democracy to the state and federal

[4:15:53] delegation, which was signed and sent.

[4:15:58] Um overall the select board spent a

[4:16:00] significant amount of time over the

[4:16:02] period of five months discussing a

[4:16:04] declaration for democracy and voted to

[4:16:06] draft something that a majority of the

[4:16:08] board would support. Um collectively

[4:16:12] there was agreement about the sentiment

[4:16:15] of the statement um and the desire to

[4:16:18] make a symbolic statement in that way.

[4:16:22] Um,

[4:16:24] that being said, as that was done last

[4:16:28] fall, should article 50 pass,

[4:16:32] I I do not believe that a majority of

[4:16:34] the board would support putting their

[4:16:36] names on the declaration as it would

[4:16:38] sort of be almost like a hat on a hat,

[4:16:41] something where it has already been

[4:16:43] discussed, signed, and sent last fall.

[4:16:48] >> Thank you, Mr. Peterson. Side

[4:16:50] microphone. Acting

[4:16:53] Constanzos 34 meeting house lane

[4:16:56] though I agree with a lot of the

[4:16:58] statements that are made in this article

[4:17:00] I don't agree that the select board

[4:17:02] should be speaking on behalf of the

[4:17:05] residents of this town to the state

[4:17:07] government on these matters. I think

[4:17:10] this is something that should be brought

[4:17:12] before town meeting for all the town to

[4:17:16] decide whether they want to have their

[4:17:18] names attached to these statements and

[4:17:21] sent to their representatives. Kate

[4:17:23] Hogan, Jamie Aldridge,

[4:17:26] all the ones that represent us in the

[4:17:29] state government and they are our voices

[4:17:33] in state government. A select board is

[4:17:35] not a voice for the town. It's a

[4:17:39] we're there to manage the town and do

[4:17:42] what's in the best interest of the

[4:17:44] residents of the town, not to speak on

[4:17:46] behalf of the town.

[4:17:49] >> Thank you. And front microphone,

[4:17:51] >> Pam Weathers, 89 West Actton Road. Two

[4:17:54] [clears throat] things. First, this is

[4:17:56] motherhood and apple pie to me. It's a no-brainer. Um secondly, having a

[4:18:02] vote from town meeting is powerful

[4:18:04] because it says the town has agreed that

[4:18:07] the constitution makes sense in

[4:18:09] governing our democracy, which is what

[4:18:12] we're supposed to be all about. So I see

[4:18:14] no problem with town meeting voting in

[4:18:17] favor of this and I would encourage

[4:18:18] others to do so if you believe in our

[4:18:20] democracy.

[4:18:24] » Thank you. Front microphone.

[4:18:27] >> Janet C. Janet Crestle Moff at 185

[4:18:29] Harvard Road. I guess my question is if

[4:18:32] the town meeting votes in favor of this,

[4:18:35] who would be the board who would be the

[4:18:38] body that would speak for us

[4:18:41] if it's not the select board?

[4:18:43] >> So, I'll I'll answer that with uh

[4:18:45] hopefully council paying close attention

[4:18:47] to what I say. If the town votes if

[4:18:51] meeting the town meeting votes in favor

[4:18:52] of it, it is a sense of the town

[4:18:54] resolution. The portions of this

[4:18:57] petition article directing the select

[4:19:00] board to do anything to issue anything

[4:19:02] on a particular day would not be

[4:19:04] binding. It would just exist. The the

[4:19:08] vote would just exist. That town meeting

[4:19:11] had voted a certain way on a certain

[4:19:13] day. What happened to it thereafter?

[4:19:16] Uh nothing in the petition is binding

[4:19:18] about that.

[4:19:20] >> Thank you. I understand that. Um

[4:19:22] >> well, let's check. Did I get that

[4:19:24] anywhere close to right?

[4:19:35] » Yes. I mean essentially it the record of

[4:19:38] town meeting would be the record that

[4:19:40] this was approved by town meeting and

[4:19:42] that would be a part of a public record

[4:19:45] that it exists. but it doesn't or can't

[4:19:48] command or demand that any board or or

[4:19:51] agent or representative of the town take

[4:19:53] any action relative to it.

[4:19:56] >> I I guess I'm responding to Mr.

[4:19:58] Constensus um point that the select

[4:20:01] board he did not believe the select

[4:20:03] board could speak for the town meeting.

[4:20:06] So I if it's not the select board that

[4:20:08] could speak for the town meeting,

[4:20:12] we can speak on our own. Does that mean

[4:20:14] we all write letters individually or

[4:20:17] what?

[4:20:19] >> It just means that the vote would exist

[4:20:21] in the minutes of town meeting. It does

[4:20:24] not mean that anyone would speak for the

[4:20:27] town or for town meeting. The vote will

[4:20:29] have happened. It will have been in the

[4:20:31] minutes. What people do with that would

[4:20:33] be up to them.

[4:20:35] >> Okay. I guess

[4:20:37] >> I'm sorry that was your one followup,

[4:20:39] Janet.

[4:20:42] » Front microphone.

[4:20:44] Hello, Ingaborg Hegman. I'm on the

[4:20:46] select board, but I'm also

[4:20:47] >> Oh, I'm sorry. Side microphone.

[4:20:48] >> Oh, sorry. You go.

[4:20:52] >> Go ahead, Ingaborg.

[4:20:53] >> I apologize. I apologize. I guess I have

[4:20:56] a question. Since the board of selectman

[4:20:57] already wrote a letter in support of

[4:20:59] this democratic statement and I

[4:21:01] personally find it to be very important.

[4:21:05] I have a different opinion than some of

[4:21:06] my board uh cohorts. Why? What

[4:21:10] specifically is are you asking the

[4:21:14] select board to do that's different than

[4:21:15] what we've already done?

[4:21:17] >> LA last year there is a movement and a

[4:21:22] number of towns across the country

[4:21:24] including Philadelphia and Boston on

[4:21:26] July 4th issued declarations. We asked

[4:21:30] the town of Stowa to do that because

[4:21:32] during the summer the select board

[4:21:34] doesn't have a full the whole select

[4:21:37] board doesn't meet that kicked off till

[4:21:40] September and then it was issued in

[4:21:42] October and nobody heard it again this

[4:21:46] year. And this is more important because

[4:21:49] this is last year was the 250th

[4:21:52] anniversary of the Battle of Lexington

[4:21:54] Conquered. This year it's the 250th

[4:21:57] anniversary of the Declaration of

[4:21:59] Independence. And we're going to get a

[4:22:01] car race in Boston. We're going to have

[4:22:04] a um what's it called? A wrestling

[4:22:09] match. I mean, we're we're going to have

[4:22:12] all these things by the federal

[4:22:14] government which don't don't respect the

[4:22:19] Declaration of Independence that we're

[4:22:22] supposed to be supporting and

[4:22:24] celebrating. And so, it's up to towns

[4:22:26] and cities and counties, two counties in

[4:22:29] me, New Mexico have voted for this

[4:22:32] >> to let the federal government know the

[4:22:36] constitution matters.

[4:22:37] >> Okay. So, as I understand it, it's sort

[4:22:39] of a reaffirmation.

[4:22:41] >> It's a new to the select board. Yes.

[4:22:45] >> Thank you very much.

[4:22:46] >> And it's it's trying to get the select

[4:22:49] board to have the courage with the

[4:22:51] support of town meeting to actually take

[4:22:54] the action and issue the declaration on

[4:22:57] the 4th.

[4:22:58] >> But I have to clarify, should this

[4:23:01] resolution pass, it is not binding on

[4:23:04] the select board. The select board

[4:23:06] doesn't have to do anything as council

[4:23:09] affirmed. Front microphone.

[4:23:12] >> Wendy Bachmann, 28 L Drive.

[4:23:15] Um, I'm very pleased to hear that the

[4:23:18] select board has talked about this

[4:23:20] issue, debated this issue, and sent

[4:23:22] something to our state government

[4:23:25] already. I'm very pleased about that.

[4:23:28] But I think that the a message from the

[4:23:33] governing body of Stowe, which is the

[4:23:35] town meeting, which is us here now, adds

[4:23:40] importance and weight to that message.

[4:23:43] And

[4:23:46] I don't think it's a problem to repeat

[4:23:49] that message, but it's important in fact

[4:23:52] to repeat that message and emphasize it

[4:23:55] that we want the Constitution to remain

[4:23:58] the rule of law in this country and we

[4:24:00] will not stand for the way it's being

[4:24:03] treated now. Thank you.

[4:24:06] >> Thank you. And side microphone.

[4:24:08] >> Hi, Kelly 170 Hudson Road. Um 250 years

[4:24:13] ago uh we did at a town meeting have to

[4:24:17] make a very important vote. So you know

[4:24:19] our vote matters. It's important. The

[4:24:21] historical record today is going to be

[4:24:24] important and it's going to hold and

[4:24:25] people are going to look back at this in

[4:24:27] 250 more years. So there is an important

[4:24:30] event declaring independence then and

[4:24:33] now at the historic town hall hosted by

[4:24:35] the Stow Historical Society on May 29th.

[4:24:38] It's very relevant that we celebrate

[4:24:40] this there as well. Thank you.

[4:24:42] >> Thank you. And front microphone.

[4:24:44] >> Mr. Moderator, Linda Hathway. Speaking

[4:24:47] as the town clerk, I regularly certify

[4:24:50] votes of the town meeting. And the

[4:24:53] anybody can request a certified

[4:24:57] vote for this particular article. I'll

[4:25:00] be glad to issue it. I will not be

[4:25:02] sending it to anywhere any place because

[4:25:04] I'm not directed to. But there's no

[4:25:07] reason that I can't provide you a vote

[4:25:09] and that you someone else may send.

[4:25:12] >> Thank you. And side microphone.

[4:25:14] >> Uh Brian Patuto 63 Crescent Street. I'm

[4:25:18] really happy to see so many of our

[4:25:21] citizens coming out and viferously

[4:25:24] supporting this. Um I don't think I've

[4:25:26] heard a single person speak against it.

[4:25:29] Um as it is a non-binding resolution. I

[4:25:31] think it's a wonderful uh opportunity

[4:25:34] for us as citizens to express our voice.

[4:25:37] Um with this said, Mr. moderator, I

[4:25:40] would like to call the question.

[4:25:42] >> Uh thank you. That's a little uh

[4:25:45] untraditional to make a big introductory

[4:25:47] statement, but I will. [laughter]

[4:25:50] It's sort of like saying after I get the

[4:25:52] last word, I want to call the question,

[4:25:54] but I will take it anyway. Uh motions

[4:25:57] are made to call the question. This is

[4:25:59] undebatable. It requires twothirds. Um,

[4:26:02] and we will use our clickers for it. And

[4:26:05] >> don't vote yet.

[4:26:06] Don't vote yet.

[4:26:12] » Apparently, I did get a second, but

[4:26:13] thank you, Mr. Chelanick.

[4:26:22] So, the question is on closing debate.

[4:26:25] If you have heard enough and want to

[4:26:27] proceed to another vote on the main

[4:26:29] motion, you vote yes. If you have not

[4:26:31] heard enough from your fellow residents,

[4:26:33] you vote no. Again, it requires

[4:26:35] twothirds.

[4:26:37] We

[4:26:39] voting will be open very soon.

[4:26:49] Voting is open now for 15 seconds

[4:26:53] on the question to close debate

[4:27:10] and voting is closed.

[4:27:14] And by a vote of 96 in favor and 13

[4:27:18] against, the motion passes.

[4:27:22] We will proceed to a motion to a vote on

[4:27:25] the main motion under article 50. This

[4:27:28] requires only a simple majority to pass.

[4:27:32] Yet again, we will use our clickers

[4:27:35] and voting will be open for 15 seconds

[4:27:40] beginning now.

[4:27:58] And voting is closed. And by a vote of

[4:28:01] 96 in favor, 14 against, and two

[4:28:04] abstensions, the motion passes.

[4:28:08] So, a couple of housekeeping things

[4:28:11] before our last and most important

[4:28:13] motion. Um, at the end of town meeting,

[4:28:15] please return your cards and your

[4:28:17] clickers and please fill out, please

[4:28:19] consider filling out a town meeting

[4:28:20] feedback form. We do read them and uh

[4:28:26] remember that there's an election next

[4:28:28] Saturday for town officers and in-person

[4:28:32] early voting is Monday, Tuesday, and

[4:28:34] Wednesday at the town building. And

[4:28:37] finally, in what I hope is not her last

[4:28:39] action for the town of Stow, Miss Burch

[4:28:42] Mcichael, do you have a motion for us?

[4:28:44] >> Mr. Moderator, I move to adjourn the

[4:28:46] meeting to the town election on May

[4:28:47] 16th, 2026, commencing at 10:00 a.m. at

[4:28:51] the center school in said town of Stowe

[4:28:53] and then and there to act on article 51

[4:28:55] for such election of officers as listed

[4:28:57] in the warrant and thereafter at the

[4:28:59] close of the polls to dissolve this

[4:29:01] meeting. Second,

[4:29:03] >> this is undebatable. Not that I would

[4:29:04] expect much. Simple majority. Please

[4:29:06] hold up your cards if you agree. Thank

[4:29:08] you. And those opposed, that is

[4:29:11] unanimous. Thank you very much. We'll

[4:29:13] see you next annual or maybe at a

[4:29:15] special. Thank you.

Stow Annual Town Meeting- May 9, 2026

Transcript