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Okay, December 12, 2023 at 7 p.m. Please rise and join me in the pledge of allegiance.

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Thank you. Is there anyone in the audience this evening who is audio or video recording? If you would please raise your hand and indicate such audio or video recording.

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I'm going to ask you not to read in this intersection please, so thank you, I appreciate it.

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And I see in here none.

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Thank you.

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Sleckman's comments and announcements.

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Mrs. Blanchard.

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None at this time.

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Mr. Ward.

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Nothing at this time.

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Mrs. Anderson.

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Not right now, thank you.

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And Mrs. LePoi?

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Nothing other than a thank you for the interest in participating.

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That's what we want about everything, so thank you for doing it for this.

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I do need to make one comment, it was regarding the non-binding referendum vote that was taken

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at the town meeting last night.

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I saw on social media today some misinformation.

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People are saying that with that vote, we have a solar moratorium in place that is incorrect.

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The purpose of that question last night was to gauge interest from the town and from

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the residents as to whether you would want us to pursue the process of requesting from

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the state a temporary solar moratorium.

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The referendum question did pass, so now it's back to the town to just see where we go

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from there, but please know that that vote was informational only.

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We do not have any sort of solar moratorium in place in the town, so I appreciate that.

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Thank you very much.

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Public comments and announcements on any issue that is not on the agenda tonight.

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Anyone have anything to share?

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Right this moment.

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And I see and hear none.

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Thank you very much.

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Now the main attraction of the evening.

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Before we open the public hearing, I just want to take a moment and review how I expect

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that this hearing will go.

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The board will move to open the hearing.

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Once the hearing is open, the first people who will be invited to speak will be the representatives

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of the solar project.

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They'll be invited to come forward, make their presentation.

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The board will ask questions.

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The second people who will be invited to come up to speak will be the people from Mount

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Grace Audubon Society.

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You do the same, they will make their presentation.

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The board will ask questions, comments.

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And then I will open up to public comment in general.

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There is a group that has requested to be on this evening.

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I'm going to invite them to come up first as they have requested it.

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From that point on, what I would like to ask you to do is anyone who would like to speak

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to this issue, I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand and wait for me to call you

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and then work your way up.

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If you would just form a line down the center aisle and then when first one comes up, they

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speak.

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Once they're done, the next one can come right up and we can move this long as expeditiously

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as possible at the same time giving everyone who wishes to speak that the chance to address

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the board.

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Please be succinct to the point. I am going to ask that you only come up to speak once.

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It is a request.

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And even if it's such that you'd like to speak and you come up and you say,

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I agree with everybody else who spoke against this, that's fine too. Once the hearing is closed,

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which will happen after all the public comment is completed, there will be no more public comment

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at that point the board enters into their deliberation and then they will make a motion

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and take a vote.

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Once when that vote and that motion is made, whether you agree with it or disagree with

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it, I'm going to ask you to please maintain order, I don't, I'm thinking all the time on

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my chair, I've only had to gather one person and I like to keep it at one, so please

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Please, regardless of how you feel about the board's decision, please maintain order.

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Once the vote is taken, I am going to move for a five-minute recess.

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At that time, any of those who are planning on staying for the rest of the meeting, I'm

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going to ask you to please, promptly, exit the room because we still have additional items

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on our agenda that we're going to need to get to before we get to go home.

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So in that five-minute recess, I'm just going to ask you to quickly leave if in fact you're going to leave you are very welcome to stay.

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I would love to see a fraction of this many people on a regular basis. We're not scary. It's not a scary place here. We're not scary people. I'd love to thank you for being here.

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On that point, we are ready to open the public hearing, Mr. Ward.

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Board, town of Wenzhenin Board of Selectment, Public Hearing, notice.

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In accordance with the provisions of General Law, Chapter 61, Section 8, the Wenzhenin Board of Selectment will conduct a public hearing on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, at 7 p.m.

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It will implement whether meeting will be held on Thursday, December 14, 2023, at 7 p.m.

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Second floor auditorium, Wenzhenin Town Hall, 109 Front Street Wenzhenin, Massachusetts.

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We're guiding the proposal to assign to a non-profit conservation organization the town's option to purchase certain parcels of the land in Winshonan and

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Ashtonham, Massachusetts, the property arising under that certain chapter 61 notice of lean for forestry land data in December 3rd, 2014 recorded with the Wister South Registry of Deeds and

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five, three, one, three, six, page 180.

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The property is located off North Ashman Ham Road

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in Winshon and Massachusetts, and off East Side Depot Road

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in Ashman Ham, Massachusetts.

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And is identified by the Winshon and Assessors

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as parcels 0-0-6 town lot, 3-0-7, 3-0-8, and 3-0-9

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cross-lots, 6-0-18, that's SD-LOT, 6-0-33, 6-0-59, 6-0-60, and 6-0-61-1-LOT, 6-0-88, 6-0-89,

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and

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9-0-269-0-279-0-49. Good day, Lieutenant-I-Law.

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6-0-85, Syndicate Law.

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6-0-79, Perly Law.

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6-0-10, Wyman Law.

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And 12-0-13, 12-0-14, 12-0-15, 12-0-77, 12-0-4,

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and 12-0-708, and 12-0-101 be mislawed, and the property is further identified by the

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Ashman-Hamm assessors as MAP-5-Lot-2, Nakhag-Tenny-Lot, and MAP-44-Lot-42, easterly portion

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of Baldwin-Lot.

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The property is owned by Winchin and Forest LLC, the owner.

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The Board of Selectors will consider whether it will assign the town's option under General

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Law Chapter 61 Section 8 to purchase the property to Massachusetts Audubon Society

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in a Massachusetts non-profit conservation organization.

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Any person interested or wishing to be heard on this matter, on the matter may appear

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at the public hearing at the time and place designated above which in an Board of Selected Sign

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Audrey Libreed Chair.

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Thank you.

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Do I have a motion to open the public hearing?

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Excuse me. I'm so sorry, but we could not hear you and as you can see it's overflows so there are some of us that are in the hallway. Oh, okay, make sure to speak and use your, you know, we will do our best.

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All right, so that everyone can hear you. Thank you so much.

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Motion has been made to open the public hearing. Do I have a second?

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Seconds. All in favor say aye.

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Chair votes aye. The public living is open. So I'd like to invite you to the table first.

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We have long road engine energy and company.

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Good evening. Good evening.

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You might want me to pull the mics a little bit closer to you

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if you would just kind of try to keep them straight. And for the record please state your name

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and tell us where you're from. My name is Cliff Sher. I'm a development director with long road energy.

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And my name is Chad Allen with Long Road Energy Director of Development as well.

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Chad thank you.

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You're going to have to pull the mics closer because there are a lot of people that are involved.

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Great.

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Thank you.

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Thank you so much.

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Just for anyone who's going to speak tonight, if you hear your voice echo in the room like I'm hearing my voice echo right now,

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then you're loud enough and you're close enough.

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So if you don't heat like when I sit back here, I don't hear the echo. So just listen for your own echo.

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All right, good evening. Good evening. My name is Cliff Sher.

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I'm with long road energy and this is Chad Allen also with long road energy.

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And I should ask, is there an opportunity to get a presentation up on the screen or is this? Yes. Okay.

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Krista. Thank you. Oh, it was loading.

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Thank you for making the time for us to talk with you this evening and for the attention

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to this issue.

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We are, as folks know, looking at developing a proposal that combines solar and conservation

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and I'll share a little bit about that proposal and a little bit about long road energy.

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and then I'll pass it off to my colleague, Chad, to take, say a few words as

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well.

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So we have a purchase and sale agreement in place with Winshundan

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Forest LLC for 1,365 acres which is scheduled to exit the chapter 61 timber

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management program in july of next year I'm sorry one second

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my apologies go

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ahead so we have a purchase and sale agreement in place with Winshund and

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Forestry LLC related to a number of properties look with the majority of which

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are within Winshund in but approximately 200 acres within Ashburnham and the

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properties are currently managed timber properties. The reason why we are

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purchasing them is with the goal of developing 50 megawatts of solar on the

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properties and conserving a thousand acres of the properties. We have a we've

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committed in writing to conserving a thousand acres of the properties and that

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conservation, I'll talk more about in a little bit, but would I believe provide a significant

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amount of value to the town and to the community and help to connect some neighboring properties

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that are already in preservation as well.

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The solar that we're looking to develop is it would be developed in eight pockets within

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in the properties and would total approximately 50 megawatts over the course of a year that

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each and every year that solar would be avoiding emissions from other sources of generation.

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And the emissions that would be avoided would be equivalent to the amount sequestered by 44,000

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acres of forest per year.

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So, while we'd be using approximately a third of the total acreage,

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The impact to carbon emissions is significant, and it would be a big step towards the Massachusetts

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goals of having net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and the 2030 reduction goals as well.

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On

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the conservation, we'd also forecast revenues to the town totaling close to $20 million

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over a 40-year time frame.

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So it would provide significant income to the town each and every year of operations.

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So after just hitting the highlights, I'll back up and share a little bit about long road

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energy.

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We're based in Boston, Massachusetts.

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We've been in business since 2016, but with a core team that's been working together for 20 years,

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including previously at a company called First Wind, a wind developer.

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Since 2016, we've been developing renewable energy projects all across the country.

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You can see on this map, there's a number of which in Maine, Chad has been involved in,

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but there's projects everywhere from Virginia to California and states in between.

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We've developed close to 5,000 megawatts of projects and own approximately just over 3,000 megawatts and we also operate projects as a service to others as well.

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Well,

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because we are long-term owner operators, we approach projects with that perspective

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and of an owner and operator and look to make commitments that we know we can stand behind

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as well as make sure that the projects are successful and able to support the communities

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where our projects are located.

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We

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operate the projects both with staff in the areas as where the projects are located

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and also out of a remote operation center just up the road in Scarborough, Maine.

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So back to Winshenden and the thousand acres that we are committed to conserving.

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As I mentioned, the sacred wood connects some of the neighboring parcels which are preserved already

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and I should clarify, actually, we're committed to either conserving or

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dedicating the land to the town.

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You know, this is a public hearing and we'll be listening with our ears wide open

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and taking notes so far as to what the preferences are of the community.

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And but it sounds like the types of conservation that people are interested

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in our programs that incorporate recreation, hiking, biking, hunting, and fishing.

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But again, this is a process, typically our development process.

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Well, even for this project, the development process would stretch for years.

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We've got about a four-year process ahead of us.

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If we're successful, we would start construction in 2027.

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And we would work to continue to collaborate with the community throughout that development process.

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I know one topic that's come up has been the location of the rail to trail.

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Trail that's in the area and you know I can confirm that that actually is on the southern border of the properties that you can see on the screen here.

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and stops at North Ashburn Ham Road,

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but there's with 1,000 acres of conservation,

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there's certainly plenty of room to extend those trails

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into the conservation land.

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That's the type of thing that we would certainly be open to

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and support doing.

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We have a history of working with environmental organizations,

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both nonprofits, as well as state,

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county and township organizations, I personally used to work for natural resources defense council.

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So the reason why I work in renewable energy is for environmental reasons and because

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of the concern about climate change and this proposal I think does has a lot of potential

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to really maximize value as far as generating clean renewable electricity and making a significant

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step towards helping Massachusetts reach its carbon emissions goals.

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With that, I can hand it to you.

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Chad, I'll jump to the next slide here.

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Okay, sure. Just kidding. I'll take this one as well.

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So you can see here the eight areas of interest that we are.

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This is based on preliminary research, so our preliminary design work based on a wetland reconnaissance and the design and engineering that we've done to eight, done to date.

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You can see the areas of interest or the areas that we've identified as having potential for solar development.

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And those are the green areas, correct?

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That's correct.

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to the green areas on this map,

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and within those areas, that's how we have arrived at the

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forecast that we would be able to develop approximately 50 megawatts of solar capacity on the

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properties. Now, I mentioned the progress towards the emissions goals that this development

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would help with, there would also be significant revenue available to the town throughout the life of the project starting from the removal from the chapter 61 program.

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There are rollback taxes that would go to the towns of Winshundin and Ashburnham, and that would be followed by property taxes during the development period while we're moving.

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they are proposal through the permitting and interconnection and final design phases.

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So that's the rollback taxes are $320,000 that would go to the towns of Winshund and

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Ashfordham.

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The property taxes are a rough forecast, but we expect to pay approximately $65,000 per

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year while we're working on this project.

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And then that would increase at the start of operations, one of the things that we'd

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be working on during the development period is to get a pilot agreement in place.

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We're estimating a payment rate of $7,500 per megawatt per year based on that.

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That would be an additional $375,000 per year for that 50 megawatts of solar.

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There's also in Massachusetts taxes, properties taxes that are paid on the property where solar farms are located, so we're estimating that's another $100,000 per year.

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And the estimates are based on the, some of the tax rates that we've seen in Winchenden and for this that last category elsewhere in the state.

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There's also potential for additional revenue to the town and additional local employment if the town wishes to operate the project.

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So that's how we arrive at the, over the 40 year life, approximately $20 or close to $20 million in revenue to the town.

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while at the same time generating clean renewable electricity and providing 1,000 acres of conservation land to the region.

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The slide is a comparison of the tax income, the tax revenue I should say from between the two scenarios.

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1,000 acres of conservation and solar, and the other, if the town were to assign all the properties into 100% conservation.

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And it's worth noting, it doesn't show up on this map, but there are some of the lots that were mentioned, or along the famous road, which are further to the south.

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and I believe some of those properties are zoned industrial, but they also are a part of this purchase in sale agreement.

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So that's part of what the town would be deciding tonight if they were to assign those to Mass Audubon and Mount Grace as well.

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So this

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slide shows the tax income, tax revenue that I just walked through compared to

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zero dollars in tax revenue if the land is 100% placed into conservation, do

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you want

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to speak to three quarters?

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Sure.

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So this is Chad Allen with Long Road, picking up where Cliff left off.

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Can you hear me okay?

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Great.

246
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So this is a project that I was involved in in Maine that is larger than what's being considered here.

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So this was 150 megawatts, so approximately three times larger than the project that we're talking about here tonight,

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where we also employed a conservation approach to the project to help offset some of the impacts that the project generated as a result of being constructed.

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This project encompassed a little over 600 acres under PV panels in approximately 900 acres of total developed area where we conserved 1900 acres to offset the project again through three different parcels.

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And this is a process, at least in the state of Maine, where you work with the regulators

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to identify parcels and specific habitat that those parcels provide and that meet the

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criteria and the goals that both parties can agree to.

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And I think this also can be an opportunity to talk a little bit about what it would mean

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if long-road were allowed the opportunity to continue and what that conservation would

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look like. And so that conservation comes in the form of a deed restriction on these properties.

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So what we ultimately decide in working with a town, what that deed restriction should look like,

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what can be done and what can't be done on that property, is cemented through a deed restriction

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that stays with the land. So therefore, regardless of who owns it, ultimately you're restricted by

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by what those covenants in that deed restriction state.

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Furthermore, typically for us, when we do conserve properties, we do transfer title of those properties to a third party group.

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And again, in the case here, in the letter of commitment that we've submitted that could either be to the town of Winchenden, or to a third party conservation group to manage those deed restrictions.

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So, before we stop, I do want to take this opportunity.

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There was a public hearing in Ashburnham last night and there were a lot of really good

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comments and questions from the community there about the project and I thought I'd

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take this opportunity perhaps to answer some of those questions here again tonight.

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So, Cliff mentioned but I think it's worth reiterating that the decision here before you

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tonight is not a guarantee or a green light to start construction.

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This project still has many, many steps to go before we would have that opportunity

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to actually build the project.

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And so I'll iterate a couple of those key development activities.

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So there's an interconnection study process.

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So we will need to submit an application to National Grid, which will initiate a long series

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of studies that the utility will undertake to ensure that this project can safely and reliably

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interconnect to the grid. We still have a considerable amount of field work to be done, so those

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would be field surveys and design work to refine those eight areas of interest that Cliff previously

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indicated in a prior slide. And then finally, and perhaps most importantly, is a rigorous permitting

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an approach, you know, through both local state and federal permits that will be required

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for this project, and throughout each and every one of those there will be many opportunities

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for the community, municipality, and other regulators to weigh in on the merits of the project

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to ensure that it meets the requirements.

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Other questions or concerns that were raised that I think I'd like to just take a few moments

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Once if I could to go through, so there is a concern that we are going to clear cut all 1365 acres.

283
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I hope that this presentation makes clear that our intention is not to do that.

284
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That 1,000 acres of this current land will remain as is.

285
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We talked a little bit about the conservation and how that process would work via deed restrictions.

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and potentially write a transfer of title to either the town or a third party conservation group.

287
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We heard concerns about invasive plants species as a result of the development.

288
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Long road employees and would be part of the permitting process, a specific seed, a native seed, pollinator seed mix, that would be employed with this project to make sure that it works within the current environment that the project is located.

289
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We heard concerns about stormwater discharge and impacts to local watersheds and resources. Massachusetts has a zero discharge policy for any stormwater

290
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design. That policy is enforceable, that policy requires that us as the developer is liable

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for meeting that statutory requirement. And so, we fully intend and are required by

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law to comply with that.

293
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We heard concerns about panel washing and leaching of potential

294
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chemicals into the soil.

295
00:31:01,540 --> 00:31:08,080
In the northeast, we are abounded by plenty of rain, and so the projects that long road

296
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operates in the northeast, we do not wash.

297
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There's plenty of rain to do that work for us.

298
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And secondly, washing is a very expensive process, so we do everything we can to avoid having

299
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to do that in those areas where rain is not so significant.

300
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We heard concerns about impacts to animal species as a result of the fencing.

301
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So the type of fencing that Long Road utilizes is relatively new in the industry.

302
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It's called animal friendly fencing.

303
00:31:38,860 --> 00:31:43,220
I'd be happy during the permitting process to explain what it is and provide specifications.

304
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But it does allow for the passage and movement of small game and animals.

305
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And then finally, you know, a general concern about a permanent loss of habitat as a result

306
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of the up to 365 acres that this project would be.

307
00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:07,860
I think we have to also recognize in addition to the emissions benefits that Cliff referenced,

308
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this is a temporary change of the landscape.

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So this project has an expected operating life of 40 years, at which time it would be decommissioned,

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And through that decommissioning process, we have to restore the property where the project was.

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And then in addition to that, while certainly different solar projects and particularly projects like this with small pods,

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one does allow for mass movement of large animals.

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And second, it creates new habitat for certain species.

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So there's a lot of forest to meadow habitat that's created that is certainly beneficial to a lot of species, particularly bird species.

315
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And with that, I do not have anything else tonight. Thank you very much for your time and attention.

316
00:33:00,970 --> 00:33:03,170
You're welcome. Thank you.

317
00:33:05,530 --> 00:33:09,210
I will open it up to the board for questions and comments.

318
00:33:09,210 --> 00:33:10,270
That's Matt and Chair.

319
00:33:10,510 --> 00:33:10,910
Mr. Ward.

320
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Yeah, my concern is the potential deed to the town for the thousand acres for conservation.

321
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How does that process work?

322
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What are the requirements of that deed?

323
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That would only be pursued if the town wished to pursue that.

324
00:33:33,170 --> 00:33:37,970
So, you know, I think you've probably seen the letter that we've submitted the commitment

325
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letter, but the details of any of that, you know, we'd be happy to put into a binding

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agreement, including language addressed, sorry, to address the potential conservation

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or the deed to the town. So it's not something that I've worked on previously, but it's definitely

328
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something that were open to exploring with the town if that was preferred over the conservation

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alternative. And again, this is something that would be done not from tomorrow, but it

330
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would be a commitment to do that if we're successful in moving forward with the solar.

331
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So prior to starting construction.

332
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I guess that leads to my follow-up question if you're successful because the way I read the letter we get the deed, but if, along in the process, you're not successful in getting the solar farm up and running for some reason, whether it's not getting the right requirements or so on, that then the deed, we don't automatically get those thousand acres.

333
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is we have to buy them back at the price $6 million or whatever it may be.

334
00:35:06,420 --> 00:35:14,240
Yeah, if we're not successful, we would essentially give the town another rofer, another right

335
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of first refusal to purchase the property.

336
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So it would be kind of another bite at the apple.

337
00:35:20,940 --> 00:35:42,740
And so there's not a missed opportunity, you know, to be a repeat of this, obviously our goal is to be successful, and we think that the project has a lot of merits and should be pursued, but we're prepared to make that commitment to offer that town, offer the town the right of first refusal if we're not successful.

338
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Thank you.

339
00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:48,820
Or we would have the right to assign, just as we are here this evening.

340
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If it says, you know, approve to go forward at some point, if it doesn't happen, we would

341
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be back here with, they would send us the first right of refusal.

342
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We would decide if the town's going to buy it or if we're going to assign it to a third

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party, just as we are this evening.

344
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Anything else from the board?

345
00:36:10,780 --> 00:36:11,820
Before I jump in.

346
00:36:11,820 --> 00:36:12,520
Madam Chair.

347
00:36:12,720 --> 00:36:13,140
Mrs. Anderson.

348
00:36:13,760 --> 00:36:19,220
I was curious, what is the lifespan of a solar panel?

349
00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:22,560
Typically, you want to take it?

350
00:36:24,380 --> 00:36:30,860
So typically, the manufacturer provides what is called a guaranteed production curve.

351
00:36:31,740 --> 00:36:39,840
So there is a natural degradation in the amount of power generated by a single module as time moves on.

352
00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:46,340
And the manufacturers will guarantee what that curve looks like, and that is currently a 30 year guarantee.

353
00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:47,840
Okay.

354
00:36:48,060 --> 00:37:00,260
So at a 30 year guarantee, but you also said that the town has the potential of making 20 million over 40 years.

355
00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:06,980
That's right, yeah. The panels are typically guaranteed. The production is guaranteed for 30 years.

356
00:37:06,980 --> 00:37:17,900
but even at the end of that, if you do the math, the reduction in the amount of energy produced is not extremely significant.

357
00:37:18,140 --> 00:37:34,640
There's the panel lifespan is typically 40 years and projects that I've developed in that at the end of 30 years, you're still able to produce, I think it's around 85% of the project's initial capacity.

358
00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:44,740
So it continues to degrade over the next 10 years, but you still have an economical project.

359
00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:54,050
So like our oil burners, efficiency in our homes, kind of that sort of concept, right?

360
00:37:54,250 --> 00:37:54,510
I'm sorry.

361
00:37:54,870 --> 00:37:58,550
I said like the oil burner in your residential homes, that sort of concept, right?

362
00:37:58,630 --> 00:38:00,790
When you get it cleaned every year, they do an efficiency reading.

363
00:38:00,790 --> 00:38:03,730
Well, I have some of the panels at home for my

364
00:38:05,110 --> 00:38:09,310
mountains, but they cloud over over a couple of years.

365
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And they're kind of lousy after a couple of years.

366
00:38:13,070 --> 00:38:14,650
Yeah, the ones we use.

367
00:38:14,830 --> 00:38:19,010
I mean, as Chad said, there's a warranty and a guarantee

368
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from the manufacturer that they will continue to

369
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generate in line with the curve that they provide

370
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that has that's a warranty for 30 years.

371
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then we would expect to get another 10 years of life out of them.

372
00:38:31,870 --> 00:38:34,590
And could I also ask you, where are they manufactured?

373
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Harry's Bergo Hyall.

374
00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:40,500
Okay, so it is?

375
00:38:40,620 --> 00:38:45,820
We utilize a company called First Solar, so it's a domestically manufactured product.

376
00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:46,900
Okay, thank you.

377
00:38:50,410 --> 00:38:51,010
Madam Chair.

378
00:38:51,290 --> 00:38:52,110
Yes, Mr. Blinchard.

379
00:38:52,690 --> 00:38:56,350
How do you plan on keeping the foliage down?

380
00:38:56,490 --> 00:39:01,950
Are you planning on putting herbicides down to control any of the weeds growing around your panels?

381
00:39:01,950 --> 00:39:03,070
Yeah,

382
00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:11,780
we're typically either Mo. I've also worked on projects where we had sheep grazing

383
00:39:11,780 --> 00:39:19,980
like to call it landscaping. It's not something that has those projects are typically selected

384
00:39:19,980 --> 00:39:25,540
for that because there's shepherds in the area already. But yeah, there's higher contractor

385
00:39:25,540 --> 00:39:33,080
to Mo and maintain the vegetation. We also plant that native seed mix that Chad mentioned

386
00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:39,580
earlier, we typically include in that varieties that are slower growing so that they don't grow up

387
00:39:39,580 --> 00:39:44,460
to block the sun from hitting the panels.

388
00:39:45,420 --> 00:39:47,400
So you plan on no chemical herbicides?

389
00:39:51,050 --> 00:39:56,570
I think in routine maintenance there might be like spot treatment, especially if there's,

390
00:39:56,570 --> 00:40:01,170
you know, it's something that we look out for is making sure that there's not invasive species

391
00:40:01,170 --> 00:40:07,550
and making sure that those are taken care of as immediately as they need to be.

392
00:40:08,090 --> 00:40:14,550
So I can't say I'd have to explore that topic further, that's something that's important to the town.

393
00:40:14,650 --> 00:40:22,190
It's certainly something that could be addressed in the permitting process as we would have a lot of opportunities for conversation on topics like that.

394
00:40:27,250 --> 00:40:28,570
Yes, Mrs. LePoint.

395
00:40:29,050 --> 00:40:44,650
So obviously it's not something you are for seeing, but what happens if for some reason before this really gets up off the ground or even at the very beginning long road goes bankrupt or something happens and the company is no longer than what does this look like?

396
00:40:44,650 --> 00:40:45,510
If

397
00:40:47,520 --> 00:40:54,600
it's before the project is built, the town would have a contract for a rougher on the property.

398
00:40:55,700 --> 00:41:03,320
We also would have a decommissioning plan in place, which typically involves the posting of a decommissioning bond,

399
00:41:03,800 --> 00:41:11,340
which is money set aside so that prior to the end of life, typically prior to the end of the power contract,

400
00:41:11,340 --> 00:41:17,420
But the, there's fun set aside for the removal of all the equipment.

401
00:41:17,780 --> 00:41:30,920
If for some reason the developer, like ourselves, if we don't live up to our obligation to remove the equipment, there's fun set aside at a separate location, separate entity, I guess you could say.

402
00:41:31,500 --> 00:41:32,000
Thank you.

403
00:41:33,980 --> 00:41:35,520
What's the maintenance plan?

404
00:41:35,900 --> 00:41:38,060
How often would the panels be checked?

405
00:41:38,720 --> 00:41:44,160
I know there's some concern about chemical leaching from a broken panel or such like that.

406
00:41:44,840 --> 00:41:47,360
How often would the field be checked?

407
00:41:48,820 --> 00:41:54,880
It would be monitored remotely 24-7 and then we would have someone in the area that would

408
00:41:54,880 --> 00:42:04,660
probably in the area weekly, you know driving around visiting the locations. The panels, even

409
00:42:04,660 --> 00:42:11,860
if they're cracked, there's a laminate inside that protects the contents further. There's

410
00:42:11,860 --> 00:42:21,300
also no liquid that's able to leach out of the panels. So yeah, it's something that's been

411
00:42:21,300 --> 00:42:29,440
studied and it's not something to worry about with solar panels, but it is the maintenance

412
00:42:29,440 --> 00:42:34,820
is something that's a concern for all of us because we want to keep the project operating

413
00:42:34,820 --> 00:42:40,900
as efficiently as possible and also making sure the ground cover is in good condition as

414
00:42:40,900 --> 00:42:41,140
well.

415
00:42:41,980 --> 00:42:42,100
All right.

416
00:42:43,060 --> 00:42:51,060
If I can go back to the revenue opportunity, the figures you showed tonight were different

417
00:42:51,060 --> 00:42:55,940
from the figures that were provided to the board earlier on in this discussion.

418
00:42:59,180 --> 00:43:03,380
What I have, it's similar to what you have in front of us, but it's an older copy.

419
00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:09,840
Revenue from pilot agreement forecasted to be the 375 a year.

420
00:43:10,340 --> 00:43:18,400
Additional revenue available through operations agreement estimated at 8750 per megawatt for

421
00:43:18,400 --> 00:43:24,280
an additional 435 per year, more than 800 per year.

422
00:43:24,620 --> 00:43:29,140
So I'm just curious, maybe it's there, but it's just worded different.

423
00:43:29,800 --> 00:43:35,220
Well, it's worded different, and it's referred to as far as the additional revenue and

424
00:43:35,220 --> 00:43:37,060
local employment opportunity.

425
00:43:37,320 --> 00:43:40,600
That's possible if Winston operates the project.

426
00:43:41,160 --> 00:43:47,260
That would be possible if we get an agreement in place with the town that meets the approval

427
00:43:47,260 --> 00:43:49,440
of the Department of Energy Resources.

428
00:43:50,740 --> 00:43:58,740
And so we'd want to make sure that that agreement doesn't just account for the cost,

429
00:43:59,020 --> 00:44:03,060
or account for the revenue that the town would have, but also takes into account the costs.

430
00:44:03,460 --> 00:44:11,360
So I think it would just require further discussion and even negotiations to make sure that the dollar amounts are right.

431
00:44:12,000 --> 00:44:19,120
But we didn't, it's, you know, we've, it's something that we're definitely interested in working, working on with the town.

432
00:44:20,540 --> 00:44:22,300
So, just waiting to see the answer.

433
00:44:22,460 --> 00:44:24,180
When should an operates the project?

434
00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:27,180
We get a higher percentage of the revenue.

435
00:44:27,520 --> 00:44:34,100
There would be an additional amount on top of the, I mean, on the screen currently.

436
00:44:34,420 --> 00:44:34,660
Okay.

437
00:44:35,040 --> 00:44:35,200
Yeah.

438
00:44:35,820 --> 00:44:36,540
Thank you.

439
00:44:36,960 --> 00:44:38,200
Mr. Ward?

440
00:44:38,200 --> 00:44:41,320
Yeah, I'm interested in that operation agreement.

441
00:44:41,900 --> 00:44:43,240
How does that work?

442
00:44:43,540 --> 00:44:48,740
What type of task are you looking at that the town plus we could take over?

443
00:44:50,990 --> 00:44:54,450
So I think we're certainly open to exploring any and all.

444
00:44:55,330 --> 00:44:59,970
So long road, as Cliff mentioned, we own and operate the majority of the...

445
00:45:23,000 --> 00:45:29,980
So there's a scope of work and there's a cost associated with that, right? So there's a revenue component that you'd be paid for.

446
00:45:29,980 --> 00:45:31,640
but there's also a cost to the town.

447
00:45:32,140 --> 00:45:40,440
And I think the point here that Cliff was making and some of the changes you're seeing here is it really requires further discussion with the town.

448
00:45:40,720 --> 00:45:49,200
It's a function of what your interests are, what your comforts are, what your willingness is for taking on certain scope.

449
00:45:49,680 --> 00:45:56,600
We certainly have to talk about the various skill sets and training that would be required.

450
00:45:56,600 --> 00:46:05,940
There was questions about right insurance and liabilities, so we'd be happy to explore all of that to come up with a plan that both parties are comfortable with.

451
00:46:06,040 --> 00:46:21,220
Whatever that scope is, limited or expanded, and then ultimately take that to the state to see if they agree that that meets the statutory definition of a public entity component of the smart program.

452
00:46:22,140 --> 00:46:24,660
So it would be a collaborative process.

453
00:46:27,520 --> 00:46:28,940
Anything further from the board?

454
00:46:29,180 --> 00:46:29,940
Questions, comments?

455
00:46:32,780 --> 00:46:32,980
No.

456
00:46:33,460 --> 00:46:34,660
Well, thank you very much, gentlemen.

457
00:46:35,100 --> 00:46:35,940
Appreciate it very much.

458
00:46:36,220 --> 00:46:36,460
Thank you.

459
00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:51,280
I would like to invite to the table the Mount Grace Audubon Society representatives.

460
00:47:28,220 --> 00:47:29,460
I think we've run out of space.

461
00:47:30,660 --> 00:47:35,400
Thank you so much for having this public hearing tonight.

462
00:47:36,060 --> 00:47:40,420
We're very glad to be here and thank you for getting that on the screen.

463
00:47:40,420 --> 00:47:48,580
You're welcome and just for the record please your yes. I'm going to ask you to not to stand too far behind this place. Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

464
00:47:49,420 --> 00:47:53,420
My name is Sarah Wells. I'm the conservation director at Mount Grace

465
00:47:53,420 --> 00:48:01,580
and I know that you've been talking with my colleague Erin Nelson up to this point but unfortunately he came down with COVID on Sunday night.

466
00:48:01,580 --> 00:48:05,220
really, really wanted to be here. He's very invested in this project. So these

467
00:48:05,220 --> 00:48:09,640
sons is regrets. We both share our gratitude for you all holding the

468
00:48:09,640 --> 00:48:12,800
hearing tonight. We can appreciate it. It's been a very long week for you

469
00:48:12,800 --> 00:48:19,040
already and it's only Tuesday. I'm also joined here tonight by Mass Audubon.

470
00:48:20,720 --> 00:48:24,500
David Santamana, Senior Director of Land Conservation for Mass Audubon, again.

471
00:48:25,700 --> 00:48:30,960
And we appreciate the the chair allowing us to also have Dr. Jonathan Thompson with

472
00:48:30,960 --> 00:48:35,020
Thus tonight he is the senior ecologist at the Harvard Forest.

473
00:48:35,260 --> 00:48:38,520
So he'll be sharing some brief remarks after David and

474
00:48:38,520 --> 00:48:42,160
I talk about the opportunity in front of us tonight.

475
00:48:43,080 --> 00:48:45,760
Mount Grace is headquartered over in Athbal.

476
00:48:46,040 --> 00:48:48,620
We've been around for almost 40 years.

477
00:48:49,200 --> 00:48:52,160
And we've been involved in a number of projects here in town.

478
00:48:52,520 --> 00:48:55,980
We've helped protect Murdoch Farm, 19th Hill, and

479
00:48:55,980 --> 00:48:59,360
most recently Sunset View Farm with Chuck and

480
00:48:59,360 --> 00:49:01,720
Olivia Tarleton, who are over there in the corner.

481
00:49:01,940 --> 00:49:04,500
And we very much value collaboration,

482
00:49:04,700 --> 00:49:06,660
so we're grateful to be here in partnership

483
00:49:06,660 --> 00:49:08,360
with Ms. Audubon tonight.

484
00:49:10,160 --> 00:49:13,760
And folks in the room may already know this,

485
00:49:13,900 --> 00:49:16,260
but just to recap, so we're all on the same page

486
00:49:16,260 --> 00:49:18,320
about why we're here tonight,

487
00:49:18,760 --> 00:49:21,240
the Winchent and Forest LLC property

488
00:49:21,240 --> 00:49:24,800
is enrolled in the chapter 61 current use program.

489
00:49:25,200 --> 00:49:28,040
It's proposed to be sold to Long Road

490
00:49:28,040 --> 00:49:47,620
for commercial solar development. That would constitute a change in land use and that is what gives the town the chance to step in and to either match the purchase price and buy the land directly or to assign it to that, to sign that right to purchase to a conservation organization.

491
00:49:47,620 --> 00:49:54,480
And most towns, especially in our part of the state, rarely get to use either of those

492
00:49:54,480 --> 00:50:00,220
options because as we're all experiencing right now, the timeline is really short, and

493
00:50:00,220 --> 00:50:05,660
it's usually very difficult to mobilize quickly enough to try to bring the funding together

494
00:50:05,660 --> 00:50:09,660
to have a shot at meeting whatever offer is already on the table.

495
00:50:10,420 --> 00:50:15,380
And that is what makes the opportunity tonight so unique.

496
00:50:15,380 --> 00:50:22,180
Mass Audubon has the money. They have the $6 million to match the offer from

497
00:50:22,180 --> 00:50:28,240
Long Road. That's not hypothetical or theoretical. They have that. And that's

498
00:50:28,240 --> 00:50:33,420
something that David will speak to in greater detail later on. But I wanted to

499
00:50:33,420 --> 00:50:39,420
reinforce up front how powerful that is because most towns especially in our

500
00:50:39,420 --> 00:50:45,360
neck of the woods never have a shot, a realistic shot of coming to the table in

501
00:50:45,360 --> 00:50:48,000
even thinking about using their right-of-first refusal

502
00:50:48,260 --> 00:50:51,040
when there's a multi-million dollar price tag

503
00:50:51,040 --> 00:50:52,500
attached to the project.

504
00:50:53,440 --> 00:50:56,260
So tonight, we are asking that the board

505
00:50:56,260 --> 00:51:00,040
assign the right-of-first refusal to Mass Audubon.

506
00:51:00,540 --> 00:51:04,440
We made the same request to the Ashburnham select board

507
00:51:04,440 --> 00:51:05,420
last night.

508
00:51:05,920 --> 00:51:08,780
I think there were probably close to 100 people

509
00:51:08,780 --> 00:51:12,300
who were in the Ashburnham town hall auditorium.

510
00:51:12,300 --> 00:51:16,940
They seem to be overwhelmingly in support of the assignment.

511
00:51:17,780 --> 00:51:22,320
The board decided to continue the hearing until next Tuesday.

512
00:51:23,460 --> 00:51:27,560
And they asked that Mass Audubon provide proof of funds in the meantime.

513
00:51:28,300 --> 00:51:34,980
David was able to do that this morning, and we have a copy of that for the board tonight for your records.

514
00:51:35,760 --> 00:51:36,100
Thank you.

515
00:51:36,100 --> 00:51:55,080
To us, this is really what community conservation is about, and we wouldn't be asking the board to make this choice if we didn't fully believe that it advances the goals of the town's existing master plan and open space and recreation plan.

516
00:51:55,080 --> 00:52:00,920
And more importantly, we wouldn't be asking either town to make this choice if we didn't

517
00:52:00,920 --> 00:52:04,580
have support from people who live in these communities.

518
00:52:05,200 --> 00:52:10,400
We genuinely see this as a once in a generation conservation opportunity.

519
00:52:12,160 --> 00:52:19,820
The property having fun scrolling with us, sorry, the property itself is roughly 1300 acres.

520
00:52:19,820 --> 00:52:24,940
most of that is in Winshenden, and as far as we can tell, it's never been developed.

521
00:52:25,300 --> 00:52:31,240
It's always been open, it's always been woods and streams, and we have a chance now to keep it that way.

522
00:52:31,820 --> 00:52:39,360
Looking at the acreage alone, this is already an incredible conservation opportunity, but it's really about more than that.

523
00:52:39,900 --> 00:52:44,480
It's about the role that this property plays in connecting the landscape.

524
00:52:44,480 --> 00:52:50,560
And landscape connectivity is so critically important when we're talking about climate change

525
00:52:50,560 --> 00:52:57,220
resilience, meaningful public access, and having room for animals to move around.

526
00:52:57,740 --> 00:53:01,720
I also like to think of landscape connectivity as being a bit like a quilt.

527
00:53:02,180 --> 00:53:06,680
You have to actually stitch the individual pieces together for that quilt to be useful.

528
00:53:07,280 --> 00:53:09,480
And that's exactly what we're trying to do here.

529
00:53:09,480 --> 00:53:14,240
stitch the landscape together through permanent conservation so we can keep

530
00:53:14,240 --> 00:53:19,320
all of it together and intact and open for public access forever.

531
00:53:21,800 --> 00:53:23,580
This is a map

532
00:53:23,580 --> 00:53:29,500
that shows something called Biomap. Biomap is the most important tool we have in

533
00:53:29,500 --> 00:53:35,000
Massachusetts for showing where the most important habitat is in Massachusetts and

534
00:53:35,000 --> 00:53:39,920
hopefully you can see by all of the green on this map that there is a ton of

535
00:53:39,920 --> 00:53:46,280
biomass on this property. Most of that is because this property is contributing to something

536
00:53:46,280 --> 00:53:52,880
called forest core. That means that this property is part of a really, really, really big

537
00:53:52,880 --> 00:54:01,000
block of unbroken, unfragmented, intact forest. The other key thing to note is that some

538
00:54:01,000 --> 00:54:06,620
of the headwaters of the Miller's River are on this parcel, and portions of the Miller's

539
00:54:06,620 --> 00:54:09,200
river flow through some of these parcels.

540
00:54:09,900 --> 00:54:15,920
So whatever happens on this property will have downstream impacts for both communities.

541
00:54:19,050 --> 00:54:24,230
I've talked a bit about connectivity already, and I want to emphasize here in the last

542
00:54:24,230 --> 00:54:29,970
map that this property is important for local connectivity, but it's also important for

543
00:54:29,970 --> 00:54:31,170
regional connectivity.

544
00:54:31,170 --> 00:54:39,750
It really anchors this corridor of unbroken forested land that extends way up into New Hampshire.

545
00:54:40,770 --> 00:54:46,690
And we don't think that that unbroken corridor should be broken or solar.

546
00:54:47,810 --> 00:54:50,150
We need solar, that's the fact.

547
00:54:50,790 --> 00:54:53,770
But we need that solar to be appropriately cited.

548
00:54:54,470 --> 00:55:00,790
And thankfully in Massachusetts we have government agencies, nonprofit institutions and academic

549
00:55:00,790 --> 00:55:06,030
institutions who are all working together to address this question of how Massachusetts can

550
00:55:06,030 --> 00:55:09,530
meet its energy needs and be a leader in renewable energy.

551
00:55:09,990 --> 00:55:18,450
And the point is made repeatedly that converting farmland and forestland for solar is not the

552
00:55:18,450 --> 00:55:18,770
answer.

553
00:55:20,110 --> 00:55:26,180
The scale of the proposed solar development here is simply incompatible with what we're

554
00:55:26,180 --> 00:55:34,820
trying to protect on this very special property. Having 400 acres of roads and fencing and panels

555
00:55:35,160 --> 00:55:41,580
will break the landscape connectivity that we are trying to protect. And I can completely

556
00:55:41,580 --> 00:55:47,840
understand if we're just looking at the numbers and the terms of the number of acres, that the

557
00:55:47,840 --> 00:55:55,260
The idea of only developing 400 acres and then potentially conserving the balance

558
00:55:55,260 --> 00:56:01,300
up to 1,000 acres, of course that sounds really compelling, but the problem here is that

559
00:56:01,300 --> 00:56:09,420
that strategy doesn't actually help us with the goal of this whole project, which is landscape

560
00:56:09,420 --> 00:56:10,200
connectivity.

561
00:56:10,880 --> 00:56:15,320
In fact, it threatens the very heart of what we're trying to do, which is to keep this landscape

562
00:56:16,060 --> 00:56:16,520
intact.

563
00:56:17,380 --> 00:56:24,320
It's a little bit like if we were partnering with the developer to try to save a really

564
00:56:24,320 --> 00:56:30,480
iconic special multi-generation family farm, except the developer said that they needed

565
00:56:30,480 --> 00:56:33,700
to be able to keep the farmhouse and the barn and the farmfields.

566
00:56:34,620 --> 00:56:38,540
We could conserve the rest, but at that point, no matter what that acreage was,

567
00:56:39,040 --> 00:56:41,380
how would we be meaningfully conserving the farm?

568
00:56:41,380 --> 00:56:56,480
And in this case, how could we conserve an unfragmented, connected landscape if there are going to be 400 acres of pockets of solar that are puncturing that landscape?

569
00:56:57,040 --> 00:57:02,400
That's why we're hoping that the board will support a full conservation outcome tonight.

570
00:57:02,820 --> 00:57:07,560
And I'd also like to note that the term deed restriction was used earlier.

571
00:57:07,560 --> 00:57:15,040
Here this might be a terminology, difference in Massachusetts, but in our state deed restrictions are not perpetual.

572
00:57:15,480 --> 00:57:20,480
They last 30 years, they can be renewed twice after that, but after 90 years they're done.

573
00:57:21,040 --> 00:57:26,860
So that's, if that's what in fact the tool that Long Road was referring to, that's not permanent conservation.

574
00:57:27,260 --> 00:57:28,980
So I wanted to share that.

575
00:57:29,120 --> 00:57:33,240
Otherwise, again, we hope you'll support full conservation and

576
00:57:33,240 --> 00:57:38,260
to sign the right to Mass Audubon and David will now speak to what that would look like

577
00:57:38,260 --> 00:57:39,460
should you choose to do that.

578
00:57:40,440 --> 00:57:46,940
Great. Sarah, thank you so much for that great introduction. She's a tough act to follow.

579
00:57:47,320 --> 00:57:52,120
I did want to thank the board and all the folks in the public who are here this evening, especially

580
00:57:52,120 --> 00:57:55,780
in the matter of the fact that you had town meeting last night, so that's a double header for you folks.

581
00:57:56,520 --> 00:58:00,060
I'll keep my remarks very brief, acknowledging that there are a lot of folks in the room

582
00:58:00,060 --> 00:58:01,280
that I don't want to be here heard.

583
00:58:02,260 --> 00:58:09,420
I just will say very briefly that Mass Audubon is really thrilled to be here with the

584
00:58:09,420 --> 00:58:13,440
opportunity to make this offer to the town and to Mount Grays to be a facilitator for

585
00:58:13,440 --> 00:58:14,500
the protection of this property.

586
00:58:16,180 --> 00:58:20,580
I have a letter here from our President David O'Neill that does affirm that we in fact have

587
00:58:20,950 --> 00:58:25,860
the capacity to complete this transaction as a Chapter 61 statute requires.

588
00:58:27,680 --> 00:58:29,560
I'll say a few words about Mass Audubon.

589
00:58:29,560 --> 00:58:37,100
I don't want to presume that everyone knows about it, but we are one of the oldest land protection organizations in the country we were found in 1896.

590
00:58:37,800 --> 00:58:40,400
We provide our first actuary in 1916.

591
00:58:40,960 --> 00:58:46,580
We've protected about 40,000 acres of land across the state to date and our anxious to do more.

592
00:58:47,860 --> 00:58:53,580
We have about 66 sanctuaries that are open for public visitation, including in near geography.

593
00:58:53,580 --> 00:58:58,900
the what's used at Meadow is kind of one of our anchor properties, Cheshire Pond, and

594
00:58:58,900 --> 00:59:03,940
like Wampanoag and Gardner and Ashburn Ham sort of round out our local portfolio.

595
00:59:04,380 --> 00:59:08,420
I would note that I was taking a look at the online version of your local paper the other

596
00:59:08,420 --> 00:59:13,920
day and I noted that there was a toy town truckers group I think that was actually headed down

597
00:59:13,920 --> 00:59:16,420
to our flat rock sanctuary in Fitchburg.

598
00:59:16,580 --> 00:59:19,340
So we really loved that folks are using our properties.

599
00:59:20,180 --> 00:59:25,280
In this instance, our role is really to act as a bridge to the permanent protection of the property.

600
00:59:25,480 --> 00:59:28,380
It is not our goal to own the property for the long term.

601
00:59:28,380 --> 00:59:34,440
We really engaged in this because we heard both from Matt Grace, from the local perspective and from our partners at the State,

602
00:59:34,620 --> 00:59:41,620
Mass Fish and Game, and the Department of Conservation and Recreation that they really had a goal and an ambition to protect this property,

603
00:59:41,820 --> 00:59:48,380
add it to the existing basic protective land, and they asked us if we could act on an interim basis to hold that property

604
00:59:48,380 --> 00:59:49,920
until they had the funding available.

605
00:59:50,960 --> 00:59:53,540
And so that's what we're, again, frankly, very fortunate

606
00:59:53,540 --> 00:59:55,000
to be here in the position to do.

607
00:59:56,760 --> 00:59:58,320
I think I'll leave it at that.

608
00:59:58,480 --> 00:59:59,860
I would like to introduce John Thompson.

609
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:29,900
And just mentioned that, sorry, he left me John. In addition to our land protection and sanctuary operations, we do have a very active advocacy operation. And one of the things that our advocates are really digging into at the moment is all about climate change, climate change, carbon, et cetera. We became very concerned about the large scale conversion of forest land to solar a couple of years ago, and joined together with Mr. Harbor for us to look

610
01:00:29,900 --> 01:00:33,900
to put together a study to validate the impacts and opportunities to create solar

611
01:00:33,900 --> 01:00:37,860
Massachusetts and I just like to go down the chance to do a quick overview of that.

612
01:00:38,240 --> 01:00:38,380
Thank you.

613
01:00:38,780 --> 01:00:41,460
Yeah, I really appreciate you letting me.

614
01:00:41,620 --> 01:00:43,960
So just pull the mic a little bit closer to you please.

615
01:00:44,260 --> 01:00:46,360
So please don't move the mic. I was scared.

616
01:00:48,320 --> 01:00:53,040
I was just wanted to thank the board and thank everybody for coming out.

617
01:00:53,500 --> 01:00:58,220
I am the research director and senior ecologist at the Harvard Forest.

618
01:00:58,220 --> 01:01:28,200
But maybe more relevantly, I'm the lead author of the land sector report for the state's decarbonization pathway, and I'm also the co lead author of the growing solar protecting nature report that came out in October that we wrote in partnership with mass autobahn so to the extent I can be useful to the board and to the town, it's in thinking about the impacts both to the landscape and to the climate mitigation potential.

619
01:01:28,200 --> 01:01:32,220
of both forests and solar that I've spent a lot of time studying.

620
01:01:33,300 --> 01:01:39,520
I think it's important to note that Mass Audubon, Mount Grace, myself, Harvard, Forest see

621
01:01:39,520 --> 01:01:47,960
a need for green energy for solar and meeting the 27 gigawatt requirement of the decarbonization

622
01:01:47,960 --> 01:01:54,480
pathway is critical when we started doing the analyses that are behind the growing solar,

623
01:01:54,480 --> 01:02:00,880
protecting nature report, I'll be frank, I didn't know how the results would come out.

624
01:02:01,080 --> 01:02:09,060
Like there was an estimate that we might need to lose up to 100,000 acres of forest to build out the amount of solar.

625
01:02:09,420 --> 01:02:16,420
And indeed, that's the trend the state has been on, the solar is fast becoming the largest cause of deforestation in the state.

626
01:02:16,760 --> 01:02:21,360
But then we went through a really careful analysis of citing solar in the state.

627
01:02:21,360 --> 01:02:27,480
And we showed, and you all can look it up at GrowingSolarProtectingNature.com, that we

628
01:02:27,480 --> 01:02:32,900
can meet our clean energy goals without sacrificing our natural and working lands.

629
01:02:33,160 --> 01:02:36,880
It's not, it's a false choice to think that we have to do both.

630
01:02:37,200 --> 01:02:42,260
And there are many solar projects that I think the three of us would stand behind.

631
01:02:42,800 --> 01:02:44,620
But this isn't one of them.

632
01:02:44,620 --> 01:02:52,380
This is a large, intact, connected forest ecosystem that would be perforated by the solar

633
01:02:52,380 --> 01:02:59,740
development and the impacts of that extend well beyond the 400 acres that would be developed.

634
01:03:00,140 --> 01:03:05,220
Not just in the loss of connectivity and movement, but in the changes in micro-medialogical

635
01:03:05,220 --> 01:03:11,160
conditions, the changes in migration routes, it cascades into the remaining forests.

636
01:03:11,160 --> 01:03:14,000
So the issue just isn't simply about the footprint.

637
01:03:14,500 --> 01:03:19,080
I'd also like to remind folks because I think it's easy to, when we're thinking about

638
01:03:19,080 --> 01:03:22,640
forests and we're thinking about solar, we think about, well, they both have carbon

639
01:03:22,640 --> 01:03:29,620
benefits and this is true. But they're different, right? The carbon benefits provided by solar

640
01:03:29,620 --> 01:03:35,240
are equivalent to the amount of emissions reduction somewhere else and that's great, right?

641
01:03:35,240 --> 01:03:54,860
And so the statistics we saw tonight are assuming that the emissions that are displaced by the solar are the same emissions today, but that's not true in 40 years, the emissions displaced would be much lower, right, as we move towards the decarbonization pathway.

642
01:03:54,860 --> 01:04:01,220
way. The function of forest are twofold. One in all the carbon that is stored in the

643
01:04:01,220 --> 01:04:07,400
forest, the build up of the carbon there, and in the sequestration. And while there's

644
01:04:07,400 --> 01:04:13,400
some novel technologies out there to remove carbon from the atmosphere, photosynthesis, trees

645
01:04:13,400 --> 01:04:18,880
is still really the only way we have to do this at scale. And the only way to meet the net

646
01:04:18,880 --> 01:04:24,460
That zero obligations of the state are to be able to capture carbon out of the atmosphere,

647
01:04:24,800 --> 01:04:28,840
which is not something solar can do and it's something only for us can do.

648
01:04:29,320 --> 01:04:34,680
And so between the point of keeping the landscape intact and the climate benefits of

649
01:04:34,680 --> 01:04:38,640
forest, this just isn't a project that I could support personally.

650
01:04:39,800 --> 01:04:40,540
Thank you.

651
01:04:40,940 --> 01:04:42,120
Thank you very much.

652
01:04:50,660 --> 01:04:53,300
I will open it up to the board for questions, comments.

653
01:04:56,370 --> 01:04:56,830
Madam Chair.

654
01:04:58,670 --> 01:04:59,290
I

655
01:05:01,560 --> 01:05:29,000
think if you could clear up that Mass Audubon only wants to temporarily hold this property and that you would also like to partner with Mass Fish and Game in which it is spring's wildlife and I'd like somebody to explain to me what that will look like because while we would support Audubon, I'm not sure I would support maybe Mass Fish and Game.

656
01:05:31,100 --> 01:05:38,840
I'll just say that we want to be strategic about land that we acquire and manage for

657
01:05:38,840 --> 01:05:39,260
the long term.

658
01:05:39,620 --> 01:05:44,640
It's very resource-intensive to take care of property the way that we want to, so we

659
01:05:44,640 --> 01:05:48,620
are more and more working on land protection projects in an assisted basis in this

660
01:05:48,620 --> 01:05:53,760
housing of that category where we're facilitating the acquisition of property or protection of

661
01:05:53,760 --> 01:05:55,060
property by another entity.

662
01:05:55,940 --> 01:05:57,660
That's exactly what's proposed here.

663
01:05:58,260 --> 01:06:03,300
The fact of the matter is that the state is the entity that has the funds to permanently acquire the property.

664
01:06:03,780 --> 01:06:10,820
We have it available on an interim basis, but we need to recapture those funds in order to reinvest them in the next project.

665
01:06:11,540 --> 01:06:20,700
So given the existing investment that the state has both fishing game and conservation and recreation in protected land in the immediate geography,

666
01:06:20,700 --> 01:06:24,820
They make, to us, frankly, the most sense as the permanent hold of their property.

667
01:06:24,960 --> 01:06:33,880
And we have a high level of confidence and comfort in their ability to manage those properties both from a habitat in a natural resource respected, but also for public access.

668
01:06:40,250 --> 01:06:42,070
Other questions, comments from the board?

669
01:06:43,090 --> 01:06:44,850
Madam Chair, go ahead.

670
01:06:45,570 --> 01:06:46,390
Mr. Ward?

671
01:06:46,690 --> 01:06:53,910
Yeah, a quick question about this mass target to meet in Ezio, greenhouse gas, CO2 emissions by 2050.

672
01:06:53,910 --> 01:06:56,750
50? Do you think that's realistic?

673
01:06:58,230 --> 01:06:59,110
I'm not going to defer to John.

674
01:07:00,110 --> 01:07:01,150
It's going to be hard.

675
01:07:02,470 --> 01:07:04,590
I think it's necessary.

676
01:07:07,290 --> 01:07:11,350
And I've seen, I mean, it's a difficult question to answer.

677
01:07:11,550 --> 01:07:14,950
Some days I think, yeah, we've got to do this and we're going to do it.

678
01:07:14,990 --> 01:07:18,150
And some days I'm frustrated and I think this will never happen.

679
01:07:18,390 --> 01:07:21,450
But that's all I work at.

680
01:07:21,450 --> 01:07:24,650
Yeah, because I'm just reading in the paper this week

681
01:07:25,450 --> 01:07:29,690
Emissions for 2023 are going to be at an all-time record high of CO2

682
01:07:30,290 --> 01:07:38,310
So whatever we're doing right now, it's not working. My issue is and this is maybe this is something you can't answer

683
01:07:38,310 --> 01:07:41,390
But I've read so many studies

684
01:07:41,970 --> 01:07:42,470
from

685
01:07:43,170 --> 01:07:46,490
Solar companies and from mass

686
01:07:46,490 --> 01:07:52,390
Autobahn. I do a search and it seems like I can't get somebody in the middle who

687
01:07:52,390 --> 01:07:57,830
will just not be tied to solar or to Autobahn. But I've gone through about 20

688
01:07:57,830 --> 01:08:04,210
or 30 of these studies. And one of them says, for mass to meet clean energy goal, the

689
01:08:04,210 --> 01:08:12,130
state needs to build 25 to 35 gigawatts of solar capacity by 2050. Currently, we

690
01:08:12,130 --> 01:08:14,550
We only have about three gigawatts installed.

691
01:08:15,670 --> 01:08:22,610
To meet the 2050 goal, we need to triple a quadruple, the rate of which we are adding solar.

692
01:08:23,910 --> 01:08:25,250
That's all accurate.

693
01:08:26,710 --> 01:08:30,130
I don't know if that was from the Harvard study, it might have been another study.

694
01:08:30,510 --> 01:08:35,910
I mean, all those numbers resonate, those could have been pulled from our study.

695
01:08:35,910 --> 01:08:45,650
The build out, particularly over the past few years, has slowed due to the interconnects studies.

696
01:08:46,350 --> 01:08:54,570
And so a lot of the utility scale solar has slowed while the state works out where the interconnect goes.

697
01:08:54,710 --> 01:08:59,650
And right now, that's the largest bottleneck to bringing more solar online.

698
01:08:59,990 --> 01:09:04,850
Like I said, I would love, and I see the need to triple and quadruple the pace.

699
01:09:04,850 --> 01:09:12,410
And I think that there are a lot of areas that we can put solar that will help us hit that 27,

700
01:09:12,590 --> 01:09:16,170
which is in the 25 to 35 that you just cited.

701
01:09:16,870 --> 01:09:22,650
When we worked it out, we found 27 gigawatts doable through building on,

702
01:09:23,270 --> 01:09:29,490
not building in unfragmented forest land, but doing it on rooftops,

703
01:09:29,570 --> 01:09:33,950
doing it on already developed lands, landfill sites that there are a lot of,

704
01:09:33,950 --> 01:09:40,650
there is certainly enough area several times over to get to the 2025 to 30.

705
01:09:41,110 --> 01:09:42,110
That's out there.

706
01:09:42,550 --> 01:09:47,230
We need to incentivize putting, citing it in the right locations and we need to do it now.

707
01:09:47,890 --> 01:09:54,830
And not move forward and like sacrifice our other natural and working lands to get there.

708
01:09:55,350 --> 01:09:56,270
I think we can do it.

709
01:09:56,750 --> 01:09:57,150
Thank you.

710
01:10:00,190 --> 01:10:01,730
Anything else from the board?

711
01:10:02,090 --> 01:10:02,630
Madam Chair.

712
01:10:02,630 --> 01:10:03,770
Yes, Mrs. Appoint.

713
01:10:04,570 --> 01:10:17,450
Do you guys envision any other pockets in that proposed 1300 acres that would potentially work as opposed to the eight or so pockets that are highlighted in green right now by long road?

714
01:10:20,630 --> 01:10:28,370
We haven't done an annal. We haven't had frankly the chance to be on the site to do that kind of analysis, but our goal is to protect the entirety of the site.

715
01:10:28,870 --> 01:10:29,430
No, I get that.

716
01:10:29,430 --> 01:10:29,810
Okay.

717
01:10:33,300 --> 01:10:33,700
Thank you.

718
01:10:35,800 --> 01:10:46,500
I'm just timing. Let's look at should the ward vote to assign the right-of-risk refusal?

719
01:10:47,500 --> 01:11:00,540
I understand that we have until January 4th, the town has until January 4th to notify the landowner and record the notice of assignment with the registry of deeds.

720
01:11:01,820 --> 01:11:14,240
And then there would be, it would be on you to do the purchase and sale, meet me at the 90 day or whatever the requirement is, is that doable on your rent?

721
01:11:14,900 --> 01:11:15,720
Yes, absolutely.

722
01:11:16,720 --> 01:11:17,040
Okay.

723
01:11:21,980 --> 01:11:26,760
I think that was the only question or anything else further from the board.

724
01:11:28,540 --> 01:11:30,120
All right. Thank you very much.

725
01:11:30,280 --> 01:11:30,540
Thank you.

726
01:11:30,620 --> 01:11:31,200
Thank you so much.

727
01:11:42,240 --> 01:11:42,920
Thank you.

728
01:12:01,350 --> 01:12:04,930
I'm going to now open the public comment section of the hearing.

729
01:12:06,370 --> 01:12:10,830
As I stated, we had a group who requested to be heard this evening, so I invite them

730
01:12:10,830 --> 01:12:11,290
up first.

731
01:12:16,980 --> 01:12:19,580
Would you ready if you would please just make sure to introduce yourself.

732
01:12:20,580 --> 01:12:20,800
Great.

733
01:12:20,980 --> 01:12:21,280
Thank you.

734
01:12:21,400 --> 01:12:21,880
Good evening.

735
01:12:22,120 --> 01:12:25,700
Thank you for the opportunity to speak in the support task in front of you.

736
01:12:26,120 --> 01:12:27,360
My name is Wendy Gendron.

737
01:12:27,560 --> 01:12:32,280
I live at 18 Sunset Drive in the Far Hills Association in Ashburnham, Massachusetts.

738
01:12:37,360 --> 01:12:40,820
So I am a certified lake manager and aquatic ecologist.

739
01:12:41,300 --> 01:12:50,220
I'm a subject matter expert for many of the surrounding lake communities specializing in protection, rehabilitation, and management of lakes and aquatic systems.

740
01:12:51,240 --> 01:12:51,480
I'm touched.

741
01:12:51,820 --> 01:12:53,040
Okay, a little bit closer to you.

742
01:12:53,400 --> 01:12:54,560
Yeah, you can move it forward.

743
01:12:55,060 --> 01:12:56,760
It's the side where you're meant to go.

744
01:12:56,760 --> 01:12:56,900
Is that good?

745
01:12:57,180 --> 01:12:57,620
I think it's good.

746
01:12:57,760 --> 01:12:58,380
Yes, thank you.

747
01:12:58,380 --> 01:13:00,700
So I apologize that I'm going to read this.

748
01:13:00,980 --> 01:13:06,980
I usually do not, but it is so important to us that I get to out all of my points tonight.

749
01:13:07,500 --> 01:13:08,480
So please bear with me.

750
01:13:09,240 --> 01:13:13,660
This decision before you is about protecting the diverse and fragile habitats within our backyard.

751
01:13:14,580 --> 01:13:17,380
This is a decision of a lifetime as you heard Sarah say.

752
01:13:18,340 --> 01:13:20,700
And the impact of your choice persists for decades.

753
01:13:21,260 --> 01:13:25,020
This isn't just about renewable energy and income for the town.

754
01:13:25,020 --> 01:13:30,880
It's about lasting cumulative impacts in an ever changing climate, the most effective

755
01:13:30,880 --> 01:13:36,620
alternative to secure clean water, clean air, and biodiversity into the future is to

756
01:13:36,620 --> 01:13:39,360
protect this critical space and perpetuity.

757
01:13:40,840 --> 01:13:46,420
Just about every local, state, and federal agency recognizes the importance of rare and scarce

758
01:13:46,420 --> 01:13:46,920
habitat.

759
01:13:47,500 --> 01:13:52,280
While this track-up land appears to be a typical forest that is plentiful in New England,

760
01:13:52,280 --> 01:13:54,480
It is anything but replaceable.

761
01:13:55,120 --> 01:14:01,140
As you heard from Sarah, these 1300 plus acres are strategically located among an additional

762
01:14:01,140 --> 01:14:06,480
1,500 acres of protected land, and it forms a natural connection between the town of

763
01:14:06,480 --> 01:14:09,120
Asprinham, Winchington, and New Hampshire.

764
01:14:09,660 --> 01:14:15,820
It is a vital, regional, connective space expanding over 83 square miles.

765
01:14:17,220 --> 01:14:23,760
This designation by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the Nature Conservancy formalizes the importance

766
01:14:23,760 --> 01:14:30,880
of habitat connections and acknowledges the significance to protect critical biodeverse areas.

767
01:14:31,410 --> 01:14:38,880
It allows plants and animals to move and adapt to climate change and escape anthropogenic development.

768
01:14:40,920 --> 01:14:51,780
Historically, plants and animals could shift their range freely, but because of human development this range has been greatly diminished, and has become fragmented over time, leaving smaller,

769
01:14:51,780 --> 01:14:53,480
in smaller,

770
01:14:56,620 --> 01:14:59,020
scattered, unconnected areas.

771
01:15:00,180 --> 01:15:30,160
These fragmented habitats reduce the fitness of individual species creating genetic population isolation and reduces the overall biodiversity of which leads, which often leads to species extinction. It's analogous to impossible physical barriers between us, education, medical care, and our friends and families. Imagine what extended human isolation would cause if barriers could not be overcome. Just because the solar project proposes to set us

772
01:15:30,160 --> 01:15:32,820
Besides some habitat, this is subject to change.

773
01:15:34,040 --> 01:15:38,740
It's highly likely that the current plan will change multiple times before finalization.

774
01:15:39,240 --> 01:15:46,160
Recall that the developers have stated that it could be up to four years before construction even starts.

775
01:15:47,180 --> 01:15:53,520
Once built, the area will be fenced, causing additional fragmentation, inhibiting terrestrial wildlife movement.

776
01:15:53,520 --> 01:16:03,180
Photovoltaic panels are known to cause bird mortality, affect migration corridors and negatively impact that activity.

777
01:16:03,840 --> 01:16:12,460
The reduced forest canopy increases soil and stormwater runoff temperatures, which in turn increase wetland and waterway temperatures,

778
01:16:12,960 --> 01:16:16,160
creating an environment ripe for harmful algal blooms.

779
01:16:16,160 --> 01:16:21,200
The continued operation and maintenance of the proposed project will also stress the

780
01:16:21,200 --> 01:16:26,320
environment, which has the potential to reduce water quality and introduction of non-native

781
01:16:26,320 --> 01:16:32,600
invasive species, requiring aggressive vegetation management, including chronic use of herbicides.

782
01:16:33,180 --> 01:16:37,640
Notice that the presenter did not deny the use of herbicides and could not quantify the

783
01:16:37,640 --> 01:16:38,920
use of it in the future.

784
01:16:38,920 --> 01:16:48,800
I strongly disagree that the raised fencing and seeding will be protective or equal to the habitat that currently exists.

785
01:16:49,500 --> 01:17:06,160
The impact of land use change on these parcels also has monetary impacts and two separate economic studies, one in Maine and one in the Great Lakes region, home values near water bodies decreased as much as 15.8% following a decline in water quality.

786
01:17:06,160 --> 01:17:12,860
Protecting this land will secure both habitat and economic value of the watershed and perpetuity.

787
01:17:13,840 --> 01:17:20,160
If the solar fields become obsolete as technology changes, if the company defaults are fails to obtain permits,

788
01:17:20,820 --> 01:17:26,600
this land will be available for residential development, which is even more serious,

789
01:17:26,600 --> 01:17:31,920
which has even more serious deleterious impacts to the area.

790
01:17:32,760 --> 01:17:38,480
including Lake Monomenac, Sunset Lake, and all of the downstream river ecosystem.

791
01:17:39,380 --> 01:17:45,440
As Mount Grace and Mass Audipon has explained, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

792
01:17:45,440 --> 01:17:50,880
to protect this high-value habitat, water quality, and wildlife quarters for generations

793
01:17:50,880 --> 01:17:51,860
beyond us.

794
01:17:52,400 --> 01:17:57,060
I am confident that you will make the correct decision and allow Mass Audipon and Mount

795
01:17:57,060 --> 01:18:01,160
Grace the opportunity to protect this valuable, invaluable tract of land.

796
01:18:01,160 --> 01:18:05,300
Thank you for listening, and thank you, Mount Grace and Mass Audubon.

797
01:18:15,080 --> 01:18:20,140
Hi, my name is Fred Sellers, I'm the environmental director of the Far Hills Association.

798
01:18:21,100 --> 01:18:25,960
And I'm here tonight representing the more than 330 home owners and

799
01:18:25,960 --> 01:18:30,380
60 land owners surrounding Sunset Lake and Winchin and the Nashville ham.

800
01:18:31,080 --> 01:18:38,180
We're concerned about the proposed development of a major new solar project in our lakes watershed.

801
01:18:38,180 --> 01:18:43,540
clear-cutting and developing significant acreage in this unique and important forest

802
01:18:43,540 --> 01:18:48,060
could have a significant adverse impact on the water quality ecology of

803
01:18:48,060 --> 01:18:52,840
sunset lake Lake Monomenac in the Miller River. I want to share my personal

804
01:18:52,840 --> 01:18:57,580
reflections as a recently retired environmental consultant who spent the bulk of

805
01:18:57,580 --> 01:19:01,660
my 40-year career specializing in the citing and environmental permitting of

806
01:19:01,660 --> 01:19:06,760
major energy projects nationwide including solar projects, fossil fuel projects,

807
01:19:06,760 --> 01:19:13,140
wind, onshore and offshore, hydroelectric, and pretty much any way you can think of

808
01:19:13,140 --> 01:19:14,920
to manufacture electricity.

809
01:19:17,000 --> 01:19:20,340
A few points. The town cannot assume that the solar

810
01:19:20,340 --> 01:19:25,020
project will be successfully developed. This project is really at its infancy,

811
01:19:25,580 --> 01:19:29,460
faces a long and difficult permitting process. It makes it coming to fruition

812
01:19:29,460 --> 01:19:36,000
far from certain. Most of my energy facility development clients maintain to

813
01:19:36,000 --> 01:19:41,520
portfolio of future projects. These were not so much a development pipeline as a development

814
01:19:41,520 --> 01:19:47,160
funnel. With many projects in the very early stages of development at the top, funneling

815
01:19:47,160 --> 01:19:52,440
down to a smaller number that demonstrate our higher likelihood of success as progress

816
01:19:52,440 --> 01:19:57,820
is made on key development milestones. As the projects funnel down, those with significant

817
01:19:57,820 --> 01:20:02,420
permitting electrical interconnection or other development obstacles get left behind.

818
01:20:03,100 --> 01:20:07,820
The project is really not much further along than was first introduced to you in November

819
01:20:07,820 --> 01:20:13,760
of 2022, and would still be at the very, very top where part of any of my clients' development

820
01:20:13,760 --> 01:20:14,360
fondles.

821
01:20:15,380 --> 01:20:21,280
As part of the state permitting process, the developer is going to face some pretty strong

822
01:20:21,280 --> 01:20:27,960
headwinds as the climate for solar projects itself is changing in Massachusetts.

823
01:20:27,960 --> 01:20:34,040
As part of the state permitting process, the developer will need to demonstrate consistency

824
01:20:34,040 --> 01:20:39,440
with state municipal plans and policies, which could prove problematic for the project

825
01:20:39,440 --> 01:20:40,520
in a number of areas.

826
01:20:41,280 --> 01:20:46,440
First of course, right here in Winchin, your open space and master plan to identify this area

827
01:20:46,440 --> 01:20:48,260
is open space that should be protected.

828
01:20:49,360 --> 01:20:55,660
In response to the loss of more than 5,000 acres of forest to solar development in Massachusetts

829
01:20:55,660 --> 01:21:02,460
since 2010, the administration recently announced the Forests' Climate Solutions Initiative

830
01:21:02,460 --> 01:21:08,140
to ensure Massachusetts Forests are managed to help meet the state's aggressive climate goals.

831
01:21:08,980 --> 01:21:16,180
These initiatives are expected to create disincentives in the SMART program for clear-cutting forests and solar farms.

832
01:21:16,900 --> 01:21:21,820
The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources strongly discourages locations

833
01:21:21,820 --> 01:21:26,900
that result in significant loss of land and natural resources including forest land

834
01:21:26,900 --> 01:21:31,640
and encourages citing solar projects and industrial and commercial districts

835
01:21:31,640 --> 01:21:33,680
are on previously disturbed land.

836
01:21:35,260 --> 01:21:40,440
Previously undeveloped projects may be ineligible for incentives for certain incentives

837
01:21:40,440 --> 01:21:45,160
for large ground-mounted solar development if their characterizes valuable wildlife habitat

838
01:21:45,340 --> 01:21:46,980
by the natural heritage program.

839
01:21:46,980 --> 01:21:55,180
If the solar project is not approved, the developer would likely sell their land to another entity to recoup its investment.

840
01:21:55,760 --> 01:21:57,660
The land is owned for residential development.

841
01:21:58,280 --> 01:22:05,500
The town must consider the possibility of a large residential project as equally likely outcome to the solar project,

842
01:22:06,790 --> 01:22:10,480
which obviously would have very, very different financial implications for the town.

843
01:22:10,480 --> 01:22:19,300
So I urge you to assign your right-of-first refusal to Mass Audubon to protect this unique and extremely important forest resource.

844
01:22:21,020 --> 01:22:21,800
Thank you.

845
01:23:05,240 --> 01:23:07,820
Hi there, I'm Gina Gallitz-Gay.

846
01:23:08,080 --> 01:23:09,720
I live on Melon Road in Winshenden.

847
01:23:10,600 --> 01:23:13,420
That's the Tom Farm Road side of Melon Road.

848
01:23:13,860 --> 01:23:15,360
There's only a few of those there.

849
01:23:16,460 --> 01:23:18,160
I'm just a concerned citizen.

850
01:23:18,460 --> 01:23:21,320
I don't have any environmental credentials,

851
01:23:21,320 --> 01:23:26,420
Although I would love to, but I put together a few slides, a little bit different from

852
01:23:26,420 --> 01:23:28,940
what everybody else is doing on the solar farms.

853
01:23:29,500 --> 01:23:34,220
So I'm just going to quickly summarize the current solar farms in Winshenden, and that's

854
01:23:34,220 --> 01:23:39,300
to the best of my googling, which my eyes are googling out of my head because I've looked

855
01:23:39,300 --> 01:23:40,320
at so many photos.

856
01:23:41,140 --> 01:23:48,380
I'm also going to attempt to depict the size of a 50 megawatt solar industrial complex as

857
01:23:48,380 --> 01:23:50,260
it relates to downtown Winshenden.

858
01:23:50,260 --> 01:23:52,180
So this is just a little bit different.

859
01:23:53,840 --> 01:23:57,780
Okay, so these are the solar farms found on Google and Google Maps.

860
01:23:58,980 --> 01:24:02,540
So, we've heard the numbers tossed around that we have eight.

861
01:24:03,060 --> 01:24:06,900
It could be called nine solar farms because I think the ones on Lincoln Ave,

862
01:24:07,080 --> 01:24:09,160
there's two of them, Lincoln 1 and 2.

863
01:24:09,840 --> 01:24:13,360
We also have the one that everyone can see on Ashtray at the golf course.

864
01:24:13,440 --> 01:24:15,040
That's the easiest one to see and drive by.

865
01:24:15,700 --> 01:24:18,240
We have Winchin and Solar and Solar 2.

866
01:24:18,240 --> 01:24:22,720
That is the former San Pit, I believe that's on River Street, that's about 11 acres.

867
01:24:23,300 --> 01:24:28,580
We have the one at the landfill that we've seen for quite a few years, and West Street

868
01:24:28,580 --> 01:24:32,160
has two solar, so right across the street from each other, they kind of mirror each other,

869
01:24:32,260 --> 01:24:33,260
they're each about four acres.

870
01:24:34,420 --> 01:24:37,320
Happy Hollow Road just came into commission in 2019.

871
01:24:38,200 --> 01:24:44,560
That's the formal gravel pit, and I believe Gardner has a similar extension of that on

872
01:24:44,560 --> 01:24:48,440
their side, and there's a small solar farm behind Clark's performance

873
01:24:48,440 --> 01:24:52,920
horses on Route 12, which I think might be George Measier's old gravel pit unless

874
01:24:52,920 --> 01:24:58,180
anybody can correct me. So when I looked at all the acreage of what we had

875
01:24:58,180 --> 01:25:05,620
there, we have almost 130 acres of solar in this town, small-scale solar farms,

876
01:25:05,620 --> 01:25:13,980
And I think five of them appear to be sighted on previously disturbed land.

877
01:25:14,400 --> 01:25:15,820
We did a really good job with that.

878
01:25:16,100 --> 01:25:20,640
The golf course, the sand pit, the landfill, and two other gravel pits.

879
01:25:21,300 --> 01:25:28,800
I am not 100% sure on Lincoln Ave or on the West Street solar if they were clear cut for

880
01:25:28,800 --> 01:25:29,880
solar intentionally.

881
01:25:29,880 --> 01:25:36,200
So we have about 130 acres, and when you add up all those megawatts, we have over 30.

882
01:25:36,340 --> 01:25:40,540
I think it approaches like 34 megawatts of solar already.

883
01:25:41,680 --> 01:25:46,960
And I'm not throwing our neighbor towns under the bus, but we definitely beat them on

884
01:25:46,960 --> 01:25:47,400
solar.

885
01:25:47,980 --> 01:25:53,000
All right, Gardiner does have the wind generators, which is really nice, but if you look

886
01:25:53,000 --> 01:25:59,480
on Google Earth, you'll see that we really have done a great job solar farming in

887
01:25:59,480 --> 01:26:05,720
winch of them. So we might conclude that we are not NIMBY on solar. When people say NIMBY not

888
01:26:05,720 --> 01:26:12,760
on your bet not in my backyard we are not. We have 130 acres of solar farms and we those existing

889
01:26:12,760 --> 01:26:20,300
solar farms are sending to the grid over 30 megawatts of energy. And in conclusion also I said that we've

890
01:26:20,300 --> 01:26:26,620
done a pretty good job citing the solar farms on previously disturbed land and minimize the land

891
01:26:26,620 --> 01:26:26,960
clearing.

892
01:26:30,610 --> 01:26:30,830
Okay.

893
01:26:35,430 --> 01:26:40,290
The chapter 61 land. In full disclosure, my husband and I on a small

894
01:26:40,290 --> 01:26:46,750
bit of chapter 61 land, so I know a little bit about it. So the 1100 acres in

895
01:26:46,750 --> 01:26:51,610
Winchinon, how much of this land will be a solar complex? Well, there was wetlands

896
01:26:51,610 --> 01:26:58,230
slated for 2023 and it is not finished, so we don't know exactly right now how much

897
01:26:58,230 --> 01:27:06,650
of the 1100 acres would be solar. However, I do agree that long road in the 1127 proposal

898
01:27:06,650 --> 01:27:12,870
estimated that 400 acres were going to be set aside for the 50 megawatt solar complex.

899
01:27:13,570 --> 01:27:21,390
So 400 acres is more than three times all of our current solar farm land in Wenzhenen.

900
01:27:21,990 --> 01:27:27,410
So if you added them all up and put them side by side, this is three times. You have to

901
01:27:27,410 --> 01:27:31,730
Well, I think about that, right, for a second, and we own a little bit of land.

902
01:27:31,850 --> 01:27:34,530
I can't even get my head around what 400 acres is.

903
01:27:35,550 --> 01:27:43,410
So this is their map that they proposed in the November 27th speech and what you probably

904
01:27:43,410 --> 01:27:50,130
have seen online, I'm sorry, those are the separate eight solar areas of interest in the

905
01:27:50,130 --> 01:27:50,370
green.

906
01:27:50,670 --> 01:27:56,310
And then just for what the heck, I googled tonset lake and that turns out to be 300 acres

907
01:27:56,310 --> 01:28:02,350
as opposed to the 400 acres that Long Road is proposing, who would have guessed, right?

908
01:28:04,110 --> 01:28:10,810
So what is 400 acres? I have no idea. I mean, who can really visualize what 400 acres

909
01:28:10,810 --> 01:28:16,050
is? I cannot imagine what it is. One thing I did look up though was the Clark Memorial.

910
01:28:16,690 --> 01:28:25,210
We all pretty much know what the Clark Memorial is, right? So I went on to MassGIS and I'm

911
01:28:25,210 --> 01:28:32,050
to MassGIS which is the map view that you can get for free on Mass.gov and it's a really

912
01:28:32,050 --> 01:28:38,650
great little website you can peek at all your neighbor's properties, tax values, but

913
01:28:39,190 --> 01:28:42,990
anyway, the Clark Memorial Law is eight and a quarter acres.

914
01:28:43,590 --> 01:28:48,550
So we're talking, you know, the go up central street, you got summer street on one side and

915
01:28:48,550 --> 01:28:52,650
then you got summer drive with a CACS and then you got to go up to Beltax.

916
01:28:52,650 --> 01:28:59,490
That's the Clark Memorial Lot, so that includes not just the building and the old skating rink and the tennis courts

917
01:28:59,490 --> 01:29:04,510
You know includes the track and that kind of berm of land that runs up the side

918
01:29:05,490 --> 01:29:07,450
So that's eight and a quarter acres

919
01:29:08,230 --> 01:29:12,870
So I just did there's a look a quick look of what the Massachusetts

920
01:29:14,050 --> 01:29:19,850
Mass GIS property map is anybody can look at this you can go online and click on it

921
01:29:19,850 --> 01:29:30,030
So I just wanted to show you where I got my information so I'm not just making this stuff up and I clicked on the Clark Memorial and their right is it's really tiny but it says eight and a quarter acres.

922
01:29:30,670 --> 01:29:34,070
I'm trying to, you know, give you some real information here.

923
01:29:34,730 --> 01:29:42,950
Okay, so what is 400 acres? Well, 400 acres divided by eight and a quarter acres for a Clark Memorial is 48 and a half Clark Memorial lots.

924
01:29:44,430 --> 01:29:45,690
That's big, right?

925
01:29:46,590 --> 01:29:48,050
48 and a half Clark Memorial Lots.

926
01:29:50,400 --> 01:29:51,020
There it is.

927
01:29:51,320 --> 01:29:51,760
Wow.

928
01:29:52,520 --> 01:29:56,580
What I did, and there's my 62-year-old shaky hand,

929
01:29:57,180 --> 01:29:59,300
drawing around the Clark Memorial Lot,

930
01:29:59,440 --> 01:29:59,980
and then I caught...

931
01:30:00,000 --> 01:30:05,740
Happy to 48 times, and I just put them in together in this big lot. And I just covered

932
01:30:05,740 --> 01:30:10,240
Winshonan. I know the solar is not going right in the downtown Winshonan, but I wanted

933
01:30:10,240 --> 01:30:15,620
something that we could all relate to. What is this going to look like size-wise? And

934
01:30:15,620 --> 01:30:20,640
then of course, I had to put solar panels on them, because that would be a big solar

935
01:30:20,640 --> 01:30:21,620
farmer Winshonan.

936
01:30:28,900 --> 01:30:32,580
I need to see things. I need to, you know, it's hard for me to understand

937
01:30:32,580 --> 01:30:34,200
and this without getting a good visual.

938
01:30:34,900 --> 01:30:38,000
But now we know the long road is really broken up solar.

939
01:30:38,180 --> 01:30:40,200
They're not proposing a big grid like this.

940
01:30:40,500 --> 01:30:41,920
So what if we broke those up

941
01:30:41,920 --> 01:30:44,160
and just threw them all over Winshonan

942
01:30:44,160 --> 01:30:47,420
and made eight small solar farms all over Winshonan?

943
01:30:48,140 --> 01:30:50,900
Can you imagine, now we try to think

944
01:30:50,900 --> 01:30:52,680
about animals smart-grading around?

945
01:30:52,820 --> 01:30:54,240
Can you imagine trying to get to Walmart

946
01:30:54,240 --> 01:30:55,420
through this mess here?

947
01:30:55,680 --> 01:30:55,800
Yeah.

948
01:30:57,500 --> 01:30:59,460
OK, so what can I say?

949
01:30:59,700 --> 01:31:01,740
In conclusion, Winshonan is historically

950
01:31:01,740 --> 01:31:05,760
not against solar. We've done a good job with it and we should pat ourselves on the back

951
01:31:05,760 --> 01:31:10,360
with it. I don't want to say our fair share but we've done a good amount and we've cited

952
01:31:10,360 --> 01:31:16,500
it on previously disturbed land. The proposed 50 megawatt solar complex is very, very big

953
01:31:16,500 --> 01:31:22,360
and it's going to dwarf all of our current solar farms together. If we develop this, it's

954
01:31:22,360 --> 01:31:31,720
going to be the largest in Massachusetts right now and the current largest one is I think

955
01:31:31,720 --> 01:31:39,060
So one thing I just want to say that's not on here besides Will Winchendon be known as Toytown or Solartown is

956
01:31:41,000 --> 01:31:48,760
I'm guessing that this will not be not be the last industrial solar complex that will be proposed in Winchendon

957
01:31:49,360 --> 01:31:56,880
Just because this is one I'm guessing there's others, right? We have a lot of relatively inexpensive land

958
01:31:57,900 --> 01:32:04,900
However, in this particular instance, we have a path forward for conservation funded, not

959
01:32:04,900 --> 01:32:09,420
by Winchenden, but out of concern and generosity of Mass Audubon.

960
01:32:10,160 --> 01:32:12,900
So we need to decide, do we want to be toy town or solar town?

961
01:32:13,620 --> 01:32:13,900
Thank you.

962
01:32:14,980 --> 01:32:15,340
I

963
01:32:44,740 --> 01:32:45,300
don't have any.

964
01:32:45,340 --> 01:32:46,140
I don't have any pretty.

965
01:32:51,380 --> 01:32:51,740
Yes.

966
01:32:52,480 --> 01:32:52,680
Sorry.

967
01:32:52,960 --> 01:32:53,260
No, I am.

968
01:32:56,720 --> 01:32:57,480
No, it's all yours.

969
01:32:57,660 --> 01:32:58,060
Oh, it's online.

970
01:32:58,220 --> 01:32:58,400
Okay.

971
01:32:58,540 --> 01:32:58,720
Okay.

972
01:32:58,720 --> 01:32:59,160
Okay.

973
01:32:59,840 --> 01:33:05,900
I'm E. Lamarose and I'm not sure I can follow that act very well, but I have been working

974
01:33:05,900 --> 01:33:11,620
with Lynch and in for over 30 years as a volunteer in many different things, including developing

975
01:33:11,620 --> 01:33:13,580
some of the plans that we talked about tonight.

976
01:33:14,480 --> 01:33:19,680
And I know that I've already submitted some written testimony to all of the board members.

977
01:33:20,740 --> 01:33:25,450
So and people have already talked about the consistency with the master plan and the open

978
01:33:25,450 --> 01:33:33,790
space plan, it's also the hazard mitigation plan, and the town has put a lot of money and

979
01:33:33,790 --> 01:33:35,450
time into developing these plans.

980
01:33:36,430 --> 01:33:40,930
And the plans, as you know, are called for protecting and not developing the land that

981
01:33:40,930 --> 01:33:42,210
long row wants.

982
01:33:44,370 --> 01:33:49,510
We repeatedly said that we wanted to partner with the same conservation organizations that

983
01:33:49,510 --> 01:33:55,310
are sitting here tonight, and as we can see with so many people here tonight, I don't think

984
01:33:55,310 --> 01:33:58,690
I think anything has changed in terms of how the town's people feel about this.

985
01:33:59,310 --> 01:34:05,790
And the fact that we have Massabah Audubon sitting here with a check to buy it is a stroke of luck that we're never going to get again.

986
01:34:06,850 --> 01:34:14,410
But some people see that there might be and there might be some money in the long road deal for the town and that's okay.

987
01:34:14,730 --> 01:34:19,770
And especially if you have the responsibility that the Board of Sleckman has, you need to look at all angles.

988
01:34:19,770 --> 01:34:30,290
And the master plan itself does say that we need economic development, and it even mentions the possibility of putting solar on suitable sites.

989
01:34:30,930 --> 01:34:37,330
I think the question is, what Lyme Road considers suitable isn't necessarily what Winchening considers suitable.

990
01:34:38,130 --> 01:34:44,610
And that's important because the master plan also says that there's a need to balance commercial projects

991
01:34:44,610 --> 01:34:49,970
with the need to protect winshenen from development that its citizens don't find desirable.

992
01:34:51,010 --> 01:34:59,650
So I'm asking the board to really think this one through and not be too quickly seduced by the $20 million that's on long road slides tonight.

993
01:35:00,890 --> 01:35:05,930
As we know from Mr. Sellers' presentation here earlier this project isn't at all certain.

994
01:35:06,530 --> 01:35:11,790
There are many hoops for long road to jump through and if they do succeed it'll be several years down the road.

995
01:35:12,350 --> 01:35:17,470
But let's say this succeed, how meaningful is this money that they say they'll bring in.

996
01:35:18,330 --> 01:35:23,330
So let's look at the numbers, bear with me, but a minute, because this is important,

997
01:35:23,530 --> 01:35:25,410
and I hope that I've made it as simple as I can.

998
01:35:25,930 --> 01:35:26,910
I looked at three numbers.

999
01:35:27,950 --> 01:35:33,150
First of all, I looked at the population of Winchin, which is $10,000, not $10,000, but 10,000

1000
01:35:33,150 --> 01:35:34,490
people according to the census.

1001
01:35:35,550 --> 01:35:40,710
The second number I looked at, I actually got originally from the meeting on November 27th

1002
01:35:40,710 --> 01:35:43,930
from when the Board of Vossessors made their presentation on taxes.

1003
01:35:44,310 --> 01:35:51,130
And that is how much tax collection do we need to make a winch in over 2024 to fill our needs?

1004
01:35:51,130 --> 01:35:53,170
And that number was $14 million.

1005
01:35:54,470 --> 01:35:57,230
That's on the town website too if you would like to check that out.

1006
01:35:57,750 --> 01:36:05,670
So if we divide the $14 million that we need by the 10,000 people that we have,

1007
01:36:06,130 --> 01:36:08,950
then that comes down to $1,400 a piece.

1008
01:36:08,950 --> 01:36:15,030
So, one way or another, towns people are going to be contributing $1,400 on average per person

1009
01:36:15,030 --> 01:36:15,610
per year.

1010
01:36:15,850 --> 01:36:20,230
Now, that's not per tax bill, because we do taxes by property, but not by headcount.

1011
01:36:21,570 --> 01:36:28,890
But, so, Long Road's original presentation in November said that they would be basically

1012
01:36:28,890 --> 01:36:37,410
guaranteeing from the pilot agreement $375,000 a year in the pilot agreement.

1013
01:36:37,410 --> 01:36:45,110
Now, tonight, they said they would be able to, they think the town will be able to get $20 million over 40 years.

1014
01:36:45,190 --> 01:36:50,550
If you do the math on that, it's $500,000 a year instead of $375.

1015
01:36:50,710 --> 01:36:53,510
So, my numbers will be a little bit different, I'll adjust them later.

1016
01:36:53,730 --> 01:36:59,090
But the, and we don't know if that number is adjusted for inflation, whatever.

1017
01:36:59,390 --> 01:37:07,210
Anyway, but let's take the $375,000 that they're going to bring in to the town and divide that by $10,000.

1018
01:37:07,210 --> 01:37:17,470
people. That comes down to $37.50 a person. Now $37.50 a person doesn't really give you

1019
01:37:17,470 --> 01:37:19,850
enough money to take your family to McDonald's anymore.

1020
01:37:21,930 --> 01:37:24,710
So I'm pretty sure that most people

1021
01:37:24,710 --> 01:37:29,970
that are in this room and I think most people in time would rather skip one family meal at

1022
01:37:29,970 --> 01:37:35,390
McDonald's a year and see this property preserved. And if you look at it from the $500,000

1023
01:37:35,390 --> 01:37:39,870
the $375,000, all right, that brings up to $50 a year.

1024
01:37:40,010 --> 01:37:47,090
Maybe you could take your, you know, maybe you could take your family up to McDonald's for $50 for $50 for once a year.

1025
01:37:47,750 --> 01:37:54,950
But none of long-roads plans have talked about bringing in enough money to really make it justifiable,

1026
01:37:55,210 --> 01:38:01,210
I think, to be able to change people's minds, to express themselves here and win to them.

1027
01:38:02,650 --> 01:38:07,910
So, as other people have said, if it turns out long road can't get this project permitted

1028
01:38:07,910 --> 01:38:12,110
for whatever reason, they're going to want their money back and that's reasonable.

1029
01:38:12,110 --> 01:38:16,510
They're a business and because as you've heard it's residential, they're likely going

1030
01:38:16,510 --> 01:38:22,770
to find a residential developer who will build some house lots or build some homes which means

1031
01:38:22,770 --> 01:38:25,390
more houses and more tax burden to the town.

1032
01:38:26,350 --> 01:38:31,710
If we let Mass Audubon get the land, there is no risk, absolutely no risk of increasing

1033
01:38:31,710 --> 01:38:33,690
the tax burden to the town.

1034
01:38:34,950 --> 01:38:41,130
So if we go back to the town's plans, all of those plans, as we said, and I think everyone

1035
01:38:41,130 --> 01:38:45,330
most people here tonight feel this specific land should stay as open space.

1036
01:38:46,110 --> 01:38:51,190
I think it should take a pretty high bar for a board member to justify going against those

1037
01:38:51,190 --> 01:38:58,610
intentions. To me, $37.50 is too low a bar. The property should stay in the open space forever,

1038
01:38:59,090 --> 01:39:04,850
and I think it's no exaggeration to say that whether this will ever happen or not is really

1039
01:39:04,850 --> 01:39:09,450
in the board's hands and your hands tonight. And I know that's a lot of responsibility,

1040
01:39:10,170 --> 01:39:14,510
but when you look at it this way, I don't think it should be a very tough decision.

1041
01:39:15,270 --> 01:39:19,490
Just listen to the people that are in the audience and the people in town that has spoken over the

1042
01:39:19,490 --> 01:39:25,670
course of the years. So, thank you for consideration and I'd be happy to answer any questions.

1043
01:39:36,910 --> 01:39:39,230
Then I'm quite done. Sorry, sir.

1044
01:39:42,950 --> 01:39:51,610
Hi, I'm MJ Gallett, Melon Road. Just like my sister-in-law, I also have propaganda chapter 61, and we do have solar as well.

1045
01:39:52,350 --> 01:39:59,450
So, I'm taking it from the angle of preserving, preserving maintenance history, community and values.

1046
01:39:59,450 --> 01:40:03,870
For thousands of years, the land for this industrial solar installation has been one of

1047
01:40:03,870 --> 01:40:06,910
forests, waterways, wildlife, and unique ecosystems.

1048
01:40:07,590 --> 01:40:09,870
All host to thousands of living organisms.

1049
01:40:10,490 --> 01:40:14,870
Wincheden has a legacy of being a responsible steward of the land and natural resources.

1050
01:40:15,730 --> 01:40:20,090
In reading our master plan and open space plan, it identified a detailed and rich history

1051
01:40:20,090 --> 01:40:23,350
of our town and the value it has placed on the land.

1052
01:40:25,070 --> 01:40:29,450
Winsiden has and we hope will always be a special place to enjoy our natural world.

1053
01:40:29,890 --> 01:40:33,850
In reading the Facebook posts and comments made this week in last night's town meeting,

1054
01:40:34,270 --> 01:40:38,350
our open space is a key reason many residents have located in state and town.

1055
01:40:39,410 --> 01:40:46,250
The rural and natural field of Winsiden is of utmost importance to our identity as a community.

1056
01:40:47,390 --> 01:40:52,050
Winsiden values its open space and all it offers including protection of water, protection

1057
01:40:52,050 --> 01:40:57,130
The collection of critical habitat in the organisms, animals, plants, trees, and endangered species that live there.

1058
01:40:57,490 --> 01:41:03,310
It offers us numerous recreational opportunities, including fishing, boating, farming,

1059
01:41:03,590 --> 01:41:10,670
foraging, hunting, biking, snowmobiles, ATVs, hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, bird-watching,

1060
01:41:10,770 --> 01:41:11,850
and I'm sure I missed a couple.

1061
01:41:13,170 --> 01:41:19,310
In our open space plan, the plan summary on page five noted, open space and

1062
01:41:19,310 --> 01:41:29,050
Recreation resources are essential to incidence quality of life and also to attracting the visitors and new business that will bring new vitality to the local economy.

1063
01:41:30,250 --> 01:41:42,070
In addition, reasons for open space planning include protection of biodiversity and prevention of habitat fragmentation, protection of future water supplies to help prevent global warming.

1064
01:41:42,070 --> 01:41:48,570
A key objective in the Open Space Seven-Year Action Plan was identifying and targeting future

1065
01:41:48,570 --> 01:41:52,770
land acquisitions and easements to accomplish the plan's goals.

1066
01:41:54,190 --> 01:41:59,590
The lands this industrial solar installation has targeted is one such identified area.

1067
01:42:00,450 --> 01:42:06,610
The Open Space Plan even identified the organizations to work with to attain this important goal and

1068
01:42:06,610 --> 01:42:12,450
And it included Mass Audubon and Mount Grace Land Trust who are here offering us a way to make this happen.

1069
01:42:13,290 --> 01:42:23,570
I just want to reiterate that Mass Audubon does have the $6 million necessary to meet the price tag to free us from this industrial solar installation.

1070
01:42:24,050 --> 01:42:31,510
There's no doubt about their commitment to this land and the town of Winchenden in seeing this land preserved in perpetuity.

1071
01:42:32,770 --> 01:42:38,470
This is the town's people of Winchenden have made their voices heard numerous times over the years.

1072
01:42:38,950 --> 01:42:41,130
This is not our first trip to the rodeo.

1073
01:42:41,810 --> 01:42:47,190
Winchenden has a rich David and Goliath history and fighting for our community in the land that provides for us.

1074
01:42:48,430 --> 01:42:53,130
Many of us remember and were involved in the controversies including the airport proposal,

1075
01:42:53,710 --> 01:42:59,690
BFI landfill, drag strip, kindomorghum pipeline, and now this industrial solar installation.

1076
01:43:00,450 --> 01:43:02,750
What do these projects all have in common?

1077
01:43:03,250 --> 01:43:11,970
They all wanted to take and exploit our most valuable commodity, our open space and resources.

1078
01:43:13,810 --> 01:43:19,970
The land being targeted has been managed as a force for decades and has been open to the public for passive recreation,

1079
01:43:20,450 --> 01:43:25,870
allowing local residents to feel freely hike and hunt this property with no restricted access.

1080
01:43:25,870 --> 01:43:32,510
Recently, no trespassing signs have been posted, so it has been made clear that the public's

1081
01:43:32,510 --> 01:43:37,350
recreational access will be significantly limited if this land is not conserved through

1082
01:43:37,350 --> 01:43:38,070
Mass Audubon.

1083
01:43:39,170 --> 01:43:43,490
As recently speaking with a friend who lives in town and she mentioned, the more frequent

1084
01:43:43,490 --> 01:43:46,410
sightings of wildlife in the streets of Winshund and including bears.

1085
01:43:46,930 --> 01:43:52,070
The fracturing of this open space will more than likely see more animals making the away

1086
01:43:52,070 --> 01:43:52,650
into town.

1087
01:43:53,450 --> 01:44:00,850
This tract of land is also a major corridor between critical habitat and recreational areas that span into New Hampshire and beyond.

1088
01:44:01,610 --> 01:44:05,610
To maintain this corridor could be critical to species today and in the future.

1089
01:44:06,350 --> 01:44:09,850
I feel extremely fortunate to live where I live.

1090
01:44:10,330 --> 01:44:16,810
To step out my door and hike and snowshoe freely through the forest of Winchenden, to me that is true freedom.

1091
01:44:17,330 --> 01:44:20,730
I really do not want to see that change for anybody in this community.

1092
01:44:20,730 --> 01:44:28,190
This industrial solar installation could have a major impact on availability of space that has been freely traversed for decades.

1093
01:44:29,070 --> 01:44:38,490
We have to realize that Mass Audubon is offering the town of Winchden a $6 million gift of this land with no strings attached.

1094
01:44:39,070 --> 01:44:50,510
Through this gift, we have the opportunity to meet some of our open space objectives without burdening the town with legal or financial responsibility to maintain this conservation land.

1095
01:44:51,510 --> 01:44:55,270
I ask the board to think hard about this decision, what will your legacy be?

1096
01:44:55,710 --> 01:44:59,870
Will the town again be responsible stewards of our land, or are we only

1097
01:45:00,000 --> 01:45:29,520
Any about the money, as a lane identified, $37.50 per person per year at this time. Are we going to turn away this $6 million gift to the community, or listen to the people of Winchington? Once we give up the right of first refusal, this company will take and do whatever they want to do with this land. As Evie Higgins posted on Facebook the other day, we may be a poor town.

1098
01:45:29,520 --> 01:45:34,820
but we are strong. The people of Wenzhen have come together to oppose this

1099
01:45:34,820 --> 01:45:40,940
industrial solar installation in our valuable open space. It would be nice to

1100
01:45:40,940 --> 01:45:44,640
know how many of us in this room believe this land should be entrusted to

1101
01:45:44,640 --> 01:45:49,500
mass Audubon as the response will stew it before the end of the evening. Thank you.

1102
01:45:51,580 --> 01:45:52,060
Thank

1103
01:45:55,770 --> 01:45:56,250
you.

1104
01:46:08,020 --> 01:46:10,760
What I may suggest, you're welcome to come up and make yourself

1105
01:46:10,760 --> 01:46:15,880
comfortable or just just pick up I think the court may be long enough you can just pick up a mic

1106
01:46:25,090 --> 01:46:28,630
So I'm new to the town my name's Peter Holsey. I've been living here for a

1107
01:46:28,630 --> 01:46:31,090
second. I'm sorry Peter one second. Please quiet down

1108
01:46:32,350 --> 01:46:36,650
Thank you very much. I'm a little closer to the mic. I'm new to the town my name's Peter Holsey

1109
01:46:36,650 --> 01:46:40,270
I've been here about six or seven years when I was looking for a house

1110
01:46:40,270 --> 01:46:45,230
I was looking at Fitchburg, Clinton, you know a whole bunch of places I was really cheap

1111
01:46:45,230 --> 01:46:46,230
and I didn't want to live.

1112
01:46:46,750 --> 01:46:50,770
I stumbled across Wincherton, I found that I had a lot of open land, a lot of woods,

1113
01:46:51,230 --> 01:46:55,530
where I could ride my dirt bike, enjoy myself, so I bought a nice parcel of land out here.

1114
01:46:56,950 --> 01:47:01,030
What I've noticed is I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but both parties,

1115
01:47:01,350 --> 01:47:06,050
whether it was the mass bond or the solar company, both said we're going to take the land

1116
01:47:06,050 --> 01:47:07,790
and we're going to sell it off to a third party.

1117
01:47:08,310 --> 01:47:12,510
We're here to put in the project. Once the project is done, we're going to wash our hands.

1118
01:47:13,070 --> 01:47:16,190
They say we're going to have liability in charge for you and everything else.

1119
01:47:16,730 --> 01:47:22,090
But they don't talk about if the solar panels crack and we get a flood like they just had in Lemmonster,

1120
01:47:22,670 --> 01:47:26,190
that wash out the whole city, and that may interest to get into our drinking water.

1121
01:47:26,950 --> 01:47:32,610
From what I've read in the geological surveys, a lot of wells around here do contain uranium in it.

1122
01:47:32,610 --> 01:47:37,830
So, if we lose our drinking water, you're not drilling into the ground to get more drinking water.

1123
01:47:38,330 --> 01:47:43,970
So, that's a major concern that everybody should have when they're looking at all these mitigations

1124
01:47:43,970 --> 01:47:47,570
and they're going to take out a bond for, give you a $700 check.

1125
01:47:48,110 --> 01:47:51,630
Well, your house is no longer occupiable for lack of water.

1126
01:47:52,490 --> 01:47:58,990
The mass auto bond, it sounds like a great deal, but we lose out on all that revenue.

1127
01:47:58,990 --> 01:48:04,150
This town has a tradition in farming trees and being able to do lumber.

1128
01:48:04,730 --> 01:48:13,910
There's no reason why the town cannot own the land and use the lumber again to make money and revenue by leasing out the power sales of land to do selective cutting.

1129
01:48:14,570 --> 01:48:27,430
That way we get the best of both worlds, and you can't tell me that you don't have the money because I sat in a meeting for appropriations where we're paying gardener to be able to take care of the people that have drug addictions.

1130
01:48:28,010 --> 01:48:35,430
and the town without even blinking an eye raised their hand to sign up $5 million a year to be able to bring that in the town and

1131
01:48:36,050 --> 01:48:38,050
then they voted that we never get the vote on that again.

1132
01:48:38,930 --> 01:48:46,290
So one time purchase of $6 million where we can give out the permits and everything else and generate revenue for the town

1133
01:48:46,290 --> 01:48:50,130
sounds a hell of a lot better than putting it in a third party trust.

1134
01:48:51,310 --> 01:48:53,730
And that's how I feel about what's going on here.

1135
01:48:54,470 --> 01:48:55,110
Thank you.

1136
01:48:55,110 --> 01:48:56,130
Good

1137
01:49:04,040 --> 01:49:11,380
evening, my name is David Whitaker, excuse me, and I am the Vice Chair of the Winshon and Conservation Commission in an avid outdoisman.

1138
01:49:12,020 --> 01:49:24,780
First off, I'd like to say that this Mount Grace purchased has not come before the board for a vote yet, the board of conservation, just because it's in between.

1139
01:49:25,180 --> 01:49:32,480
We meet Thursday, I can speak on equivocally, it will be to support the Mount Grace purchase for the board.

1140
01:49:33,860 --> 01:49:39,340
The other thing I would like to say that protecting the headwaters of the pillars is crucial.

1141
01:49:39,560 --> 01:49:45,500
The whole area out there, if you look at their patchwork or where they want to put the solar panels and what land they want us to use,

1142
01:49:45,840 --> 01:49:48,500
they're just patching around where the wetlands are.

1143
01:49:48,940 --> 01:49:52,980
Winchlandin has one of the most strict wetlands bylaws in the state.

1144
01:49:53,320 --> 01:50:00,200
The state has just a 50-foot buffer zone. Winchlandin has a 100-foot buffer zone, so they have to stay 100 feet away.

1145
01:50:00,200 --> 01:50:04,220
So you think of all the wetlands are out there, every little stream, that's the headwater

1146
01:50:04,780 --> 01:50:05,900
of the Miller's Rivers.

1147
01:50:06,780 --> 01:50:11,820
There was a question about partnership with Mass Fish and Wildlife, Mass Auto Bond,

1148
01:50:12,140 --> 01:50:13,020
and Mount Grace.

1149
01:50:13,540 --> 01:50:17,420
And I'll give you a good example of a very good project that happened in a neighboring town.

1150
01:50:17,800 --> 01:50:21,680
Most of you know it as the furlough school of the Temple of the Developmental Center.

1151
01:50:22,160 --> 01:50:26,940
When that flows down, all three of these partners got together and protected all that land.

1152
01:50:26,940 --> 01:50:32,920
And it now is on the mass auto bond mass fish and wildlife and mount race and we can do the same thing

1153
01:50:32,920 --> 01:50:36,600
And I support Mount Grayson. I hope that you will also

1154
01:50:46,030 --> 01:50:51,390
I'm here for my kids tonight. I say would you yeah my name's James Carbel. I live on home in road

1155
01:50:51,390 --> 01:50:54,870
I have bought the Hollingsworth the trust land that's now the witchdened

1156
01:50:56,330 --> 01:51:01,650
It's the witch in the wildlife management area and I was walking in the sense that I could transfer to

1157
01:51:02,130 --> 01:51:06,190
mass wildlife. So this is going to be an additional parcel to the land over in that area.

1158
01:51:06,750 --> 01:51:12,230
Secondly, I have kids six, four, and two. I don't think I could look at my eye tonight,

1159
01:51:12,550 --> 01:51:19,550
and let a solar company come in and develop this land. Mainly because, just because they sell

1160
01:51:19,550 --> 01:51:24,590
solar bands doesn't make, it could be oil. It's an energy company. All right. What's not

1161
01:51:24,590 --> 01:51:30,350
being discussed is what they're making per year. Like we're going to think about 21 cents

1162
01:51:30,350 --> 01:51:34,810
a kilowatt hour is the going rate in Massachusetts. They're going to be making about ten million dollars a

1163
01:51:34,810 --> 01:51:40,570
year in this town. So we need to think about that when we make the decision moving forward. I don't know,

1164
01:51:40,570 --> 01:51:46,450
I'm just kind of amped up a little bit, but I'm trying to say this in the program, like Chief said.

1165
01:51:46,750 --> 01:51:51,210
Yeah. It's because the kids kind of fired up and I think we need to do the right decision for our kids

1166
01:51:51,210 --> 01:51:57,310
and our kids kids because every person in this room won't be alive when that goes back into

1167
01:51:57,310 --> 01:52:02,330
reclamation. My kids will. We won. So, thank you. Thank you, sir.

1168
01:52:11,680 --> 01:52:12,420
I just wanted to

1169
01:52:12,420 --> 01:52:17,660
sit down to be honest and while I waited for her to finish speaking. So my name is

1170
01:52:17,660 --> 01:52:24,500
Michelle Peterson. My name is Michelle Peterson and I live on Alger Street. I've

1171
01:52:24,500 --> 01:52:28,780
learned through this process because I've done, been doing a ton of Googling searches

1172
01:52:28,780 --> 01:52:33,820
about the environment and all that and I've become to realize that I'm a tree

1173
01:52:33,820 --> 01:52:43,560
But I'm actually not going to sit here and talk about the huge environmental impact that the deforestation could have on 400 plus acres.

1174
01:52:44,360 --> 01:52:47,080
As I am sure most sitting in the room have concerns with.

1175
01:52:47,660 --> 01:52:51,700
Do you know that Lake Denison Recreational Area is 121 acres.

1176
01:52:52,360 --> 01:52:55,000
This solar farm will be three times that size.

1177
01:52:56,360 --> 01:52:58,600
However, I decided on a different approach.

1178
01:52:58,600 --> 01:53:05,460
Being a realtor, I wanted to reach the research, the impact on the real estate market in states that have the large solar farms.

1179
01:53:06,300 --> 01:53:11,260
There are many different statistics on the internet with different percentages of real estate decline.

1180
01:53:12,080 --> 01:53:24,920
However, one study shows the sales of 1.8 million homes with a mile of average size solar farm and found a decreased value of 1.5% on the properties around the solar farm.

1181
01:53:25,800 --> 01:53:31,780
Six states in the survey that account for over 50% of having larger scale solar farms

1182
01:53:31,780 --> 01:53:38,540
in the United States are in Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, California, Connecticut,

1183
01:53:39,340 --> 01:53:41,380
and guess who else Massachusetts.

1184
01:53:42,300 --> 01:53:46,400
They together show an average decline of 2.3%.

1185
01:53:47,520 --> 01:53:51,880
North Carolina has a solar farmer 400 acres in the Charlotte region.

1186
01:53:51,880 --> 01:53:57,260
They show a housing value decline in that region of 5.8%.

1187
01:53:57,260 --> 01:54:02,520
New Jersey's largest farm is 600 acres in Piles Grove Township.

1188
01:54:03,160 --> 01:54:07,640
They had a 5.6 decline in property value in that area.

1189
01:54:08,820 --> 01:54:12,860
Minnesota's largest farm is on 3,497 acres,

1190
01:54:13,440 --> 01:54:16,860
and they have had an average decline of 4%.

1191
01:54:16,860 --> 01:54:22,700
This proposed dollar farm here in Winshon will be the largest massachusetts and will have

1192
01:54:22,700 --> 01:54:27,720
the potential of a 5% decline or more on our real estate property values.

1193
01:54:29,830 --> 01:54:33,670
The average home sale in Winshon is $348,000.

1194
01:54:34,760 --> 01:54:43,410
If a decline of 5% were to happen, each home will lose on average $17,425 in value.

1195
01:54:44,410 --> 01:54:46,710
Who's going to make up that difference for all of us?

1196
01:54:47,630 --> 01:55:00,030
Even if the talent agreed to give a credit to each of the 450 or so homes homeowners with the proposed $800,000 that they might read online, but now today I learned they're saying five.

1197
01:55:00,790 --> 01:55:06,970
It would take 87 years for that $197 yearly credit to make up the difference for us.

1198
01:55:08,050 --> 01:55:12,230
I do not believe a tax credit to homeowners is even on the table.

1199
01:55:12,230 --> 01:55:19,050
We will not benefit personally from having the solar farm as we do not benefit from the other solar farms in the area.

1200
01:55:21,110 --> 01:55:27,150
It is really hard to measure the exact impact impact on our property values but the question is,

1201
01:55:27,590 --> 01:55:29,790
do we even really want to take the risk and find out?

1202
01:55:31,110 --> 01:55:34,150
We live here because we love our forests, lakes, and rivers.

1203
01:55:34,930 --> 01:55:37,250
People move here because they love the solitude.

1204
01:55:37,250 --> 01:55:45,110
Why would we want to compromise this by allowing companies to come in and devastate our lands?

1205
01:55:46,530 --> 01:55:52,850
Most buyers looking to move from the cities to more tranquil towns will look elsewhere,

1206
01:55:53,270 --> 01:55:55,530
causing our town to lose tax revenue.

1207
01:55:56,770 --> 01:56:01,410
I don't think we want to be known as that town with the largest solar farms,

1208
01:56:02,570 --> 01:56:08,570
But a town with gorgeous views, many areas for hiking, hunting, and fishing.

1209
01:56:10,430 --> 01:56:15,590
I have one quote to leave you with, the American Forest by John Muir.

1210
01:56:16,770 --> 01:56:21,230
God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, and avalanches.

1211
01:56:21,910 --> 01:56:23,710
But he cannot save them from fools.

1212
01:56:24,790 --> 01:56:26,250
Only Uncle Sam can do that.

1213
01:56:27,390 --> 01:56:29,970
You select men and women are our Uncle Sam.

1214
01:56:30,650 --> 01:56:34,310
Please give the first right refusal to Mass Audubon in Mount Grace.

1215
01:56:36,730 --> 01:56:37,390
Thank you.

1216
01:56:45,670 --> 01:56:47,030
My name is Molly Blasco.

1217
01:56:47,230 --> 01:56:48,110
I know many of you.

1218
01:56:48,290 --> 01:56:50,730
I live on Lincoln Ave in Winchinon.

1219
01:56:51,390 --> 01:57:02,850
And I had a question for a previous person who spoke about like what the borders of that beautiful infograph that they made of the Handmade Solar Farm was.

1220
01:57:03,090 --> 01:57:05,310
But honestly, I think they got their point across.

1221
01:57:06,070 --> 01:57:10,610
so I disregarded that but then I was standing in line and I honestly forgot that

1222
01:57:10,610 --> 01:57:15,510
this meeting was happening. I told myself for weeks. Don't forget and I drove home.

1223
01:57:16,830 --> 01:57:21,230
I drove home from standing on my feet moving 4,000 pounds of produce single

1224
01:57:21,230 --> 01:57:26,570
handed lead today. So this was really important and I found a parking space amongst

1225
01:57:26,570 --> 01:57:32,390
all the amazing people here and I walked over here so I know I don't live far but

1226
01:57:32,390 --> 01:57:37,690
it still was a hike. So I want to say first that these people like that showed up

1227
01:57:37,690 --> 01:57:41,430
tonight, I've been to many town meetings, I haven't seen you in a little bit, so I apologize,

1228
01:57:41,770 --> 01:57:46,670
but it's not really been this full for like the entire time that I've lived here, which

1229
01:57:46,670 --> 01:57:51,650
is four years and being heavily involved in the community. Even when we have our candidates

1230
01:57:51,650 --> 01:57:55,530
night, there's no reflection on you and the important work you do, but this really matters

1231
01:57:55,530 --> 01:58:00,350
to the community, and it takes a lot to get people to come out anywhere, and you all know

1232
01:58:00,350 --> 01:58:06,130
that you sit here in Stara Emptiness. So like I know that you know that this is really important

1233
01:58:06,130 --> 01:58:12,390
and out of all of the advocacy work that I've gotten the opportunity to do in the community

1234
01:58:12,390 --> 01:58:20,890
after doing super like a large amount of community evaluations and assessments of what matters

1235
01:58:20,890 --> 01:58:26,450
and what the hopes and dreams of Winchin and R, right? You guys helped us get an amazing grant

1236
01:58:26,450 --> 01:58:30,350
for the community heart and soul to hear what people's hopes and dreams were.

1237
01:58:30,550 --> 01:58:36,090
We analyzed all of those community advocates and all the people in our community and

1238
01:58:36,090 --> 01:58:39,870
heard voices from all different backgrounds to make sure we were being equitable.

1239
01:58:40,290 --> 01:58:45,430
I don't know if someone already spoke to this so I apologize, but we heard the number

1240
01:58:45,430 --> 01:58:51,650
one resource that was and the theme was the community that's here and the wilderness

1241
01:58:51,650 --> 01:58:54,590
and wildlife resources that are in this community.

1242
01:58:54,590 --> 01:58:58,670
that is the number one thing we go to, even when you're driving down the street and you see the

1243
01:58:58,670 --> 01:59:04,250
banners of the kids saying and residents painting pictures of what matters most of them in this

1244
01:59:04,250 --> 01:59:08,850
community, what their hopes and dreams are for Winshonan, what their favorite thing is in Winshonan,

1245
01:59:09,030 --> 01:59:18,430
they drew pictures of farmlands and landscapes and the trees and the wildlife nature that we have here.

1246
01:59:18,950 --> 01:59:23,850
So I think that also speaks volumes. It is something that is important to all of us and it's

1247
01:59:23,850 --> 01:59:24,890
something that we appreciate.

1248
01:59:25,190 --> 01:59:27,150
Even Mr. Towne Interim Town Manager.

1249
01:59:27,650 --> 01:59:30,270
I've seen you, sir, when you're walk into a meeting,

1250
01:59:30,550 --> 01:59:33,570
and you always have gloves and trash bag with you,

1251
01:59:33,910 --> 01:59:35,370
picking up trash along the streets,

1252
01:59:35,790 --> 01:59:38,170
carrying about the community you just became part of,

1253
01:59:39,900 --> 01:59:41,220
you care about the environment.

1254
01:59:42,140 --> 01:59:44,700
I know everyone here does, I've, yeah.

1255
01:59:44,780 --> 01:59:46,280
Note to Town Hall staff.

1256
01:59:46,640 --> 01:59:49,080
Change the sign in front of Bill McKinney

1257
01:59:49,080 --> 01:59:52,320
from Interim Town Manager to Town Manager.

1258
01:59:52,320 --> 01:59:53,820
Okay, sorry, I apologize.

1259
01:59:57,640 --> 01:59:59,180
Apologies, congratulations.

1260
02:00:00,000 --> 02:00:28,900
I'm very happy to have you. So, um, I have seen, you know, him walking, and it's not something he, like, both about, I've literally actively seen him as I was driving to the same meeting hiking along the road and picking up trash in our town. Like these things matter to us. We care about our community. We care about the wildlife. And so putting another solar farm there, where we know that it's going to be ecologically devastating. There is no question. We heard from many experts. We know the reports.

1261
02:00:28,900 --> 02:00:32,760
It took hundreds and hundreds of years for those trees to grow.

1262
02:00:33,200 --> 02:00:35,340
We cannot undo this once we do it.

1263
02:00:35,600 --> 02:00:36,400
You can't.

1264
02:00:36,500 --> 02:00:40,640
It would take hundreds and hundreds of years that I don't even think we have left at this

1265
02:00:40,640 --> 02:00:43,900
point with the environmental devastation we have.

1266
02:00:44,640 --> 02:00:49,340
So I would just like to support preserving the land and stuff with it.

1267
02:00:49,620 --> 02:00:50,680
Thank you very much.

1268
02:00:51,240 --> 02:00:51,580
Thank you.

1269
02:00:56,790 --> 02:00:57,490
Good evening.

1270
02:00:58,170 --> 02:00:59,550
My name is Stephanie Ashman.

1271
02:00:59,810 --> 02:01:01,850
I live on Sunset Lake at Nashville and Ham.

1272
02:01:01,850 --> 02:01:07,230
I am currently an administrator of a group that studies, shares, and spreads information

1273
02:01:07,230 --> 02:01:12,910
and awareness of Native American Indigenous stone structures and sacred spaces in New

1274
02:01:12,910 --> 02:01:13,190
England.

1275
02:01:14,270 --> 02:01:19,910
Not only am I concerned of the ramifications of destroying the environment, wildlife, etc.

1276
02:01:20,790 --> 02:01:25,010
There's another factor that only a few of you may have knowledge about.

1277
02:01:25,010 --> 02:01:31,770
Well, there are hundreds of Native American indigenous stone structures within the area

1278
02:01:31,770 --> 02:01:33,830
of land we are speaking of this evening.

1279
02:01:34,570 --> 02:01:36,830
History needs to be protected as well.

1280
02:01:37,510 --> 02:01:41,230
These sacred ceremonial spaces have the right to be protected.

1281
02:01:41,950 --> 02:01:47,810
Once I discovered of the solar farm plan, I spent over 10 hours in the woods of Lingenton

1282
02:01:47,810 --> 02:01:52,130
focusing specifically on long-road energy's map,

1283
02:01:52,550 --> 02:01:56,010
noting where the solar panels are actually going to be constructed.

1284
02:01:56,770 --> 02:02:00,310
I have discovered over 200 stone structures,

1285
02:02:00,930 --> 02:02:05,310
animal effigies, indigenous culturally modified marker trees,

1286
02:02:06,110 --> 02:02:10,430
ceremonial stone walls, but also two extremely large

1287
02:02:10,430 --> 02:02:14,190
prayer mounds which may contain burials underneath.

1288
02:02:14,190 --> 02:02:24,060
In addition, numerous smaller prayer amounts, and many more, which I didn't have time to track that far.

1289
02:02:24,780 --> 02:02:34,280
All of these structures are in close proximity of each other, which defines the space as sacred to our indigenous history and people.

1290
02:02:34,280 --> 02:02:44,920
I took the time to put the photos on the USB, but it only scratches the surface of what is yet to be discovered within these spaces that are up for sale.

1291
02:02:45,900 --> 02:02:54,720
The space I focused on is within the larger northernmost section in Winchenton directly in the middle where the panels are proposed to go.

1292
02:02:54,720 --> 02:02:54,800
So,

1293
02:02:57,930 --> 02:03:19,410
the Mass Heritage Landscape Inventory Program has already reported in the Wingenden Reconnaissance Report in, I believe, 2006, that the Historical Commission's inventory of archaeological assets is at least 450 historic spots in Wingenden, and this was back then.

1294
02:03:20,090 --> 02:03:25,530
There were six documented ancient Native American sites dating back to the late Woodland

1295
02:03:25,530 --> 02:03:34,630
period, 1,450 BP, stated by them, quote, due to known information about other regions

1296
02:03:34,630 --> 02:03:38,330
as well as a parent Native American activity in Winchenton.

1297
02:03:38,710 --> 02:03:43,750
It is assumed that there is significantly more archeological potential.

1298
02:03:45,350 --> 02:03:56,480
I may add there's a reason why there's a reason why solar farms are supposed to be built.

1299
02:03:56,820 --> 02:04:01,160
I think it's 1.2 miles away from residential homes.

1300
02:04:02,100 --> 02:04:07,100
Their current studies and correlations between behavioral problems during child development,

1301
02:04:07,480 --> 02:04:12,260
which makes sense considering they consist of cadmium, aluminum and other heavy metals.

1302
02:04:12,940 --> 02:04:21,040
being a special teacher for over 27 years of seeing the emotional impact this has on families, children, and school systems.

1303
02:04:21,780 --> 02:04:31,400
For myself, it's a no-brainer to allow Mount Grace Mass Audubon to continue to protect our land, which when it's gone, we will never get back.

1304
02:04:32,080 --> 02:04:41,740
It seems completely counterproductive to log, invade natural spaces to build these farms when we have abandoned parking lots.

1305
02:04:41,740 --> 02:04:46,140
Once we have buildings, et cetera, where there would be much less impact on our environment,

1306
02:04:46,460 --> 02:04:49,320
please consider this detrimental ramifications.

1307
02:04:49,660 --> 02:04:50,340
Thanks for your time.

1308
02:04:50,760 --> 02:04:51,100
Thank you.

1309
02:05:01,800 --> 02:05:02,260
Yep.

1310
02:05:03,020 --> 02:05:03,380
Yep.

1311
02:05:04,300 --> 02:05:04,340
Absolutely.

1312
02:05:06,000 --> 02:05:06,460
Hello.

1313
02:05:07,340 --> 02:05:09,840
My name is Beth Engelm and I live on Wind.

1314
02:05:10,260 --> 02:05:10,940
Wind second.

1315
02:05:11,220 --> 02:05:12,880
If not quite in the audience, please.

1316
02:05:13,260 --> 02:05:13,700
So we can hear.

1317
02:05:14,060 --> 02:05:14,400
Thank you.

1318
02:05:15,100 --> 02:05:15,560
Go ahead.

1319
02:05:16,060 --> 02:05:17,260
My name is Beth Engelm.

1320
02:05:17,820 --> 02:05:19,060
I live on Windsor Road.

1321
02:05:19,060 --> 02:05:27,200
The farm, my farm that I steward called New Day Farm is in Mount Grays Conservation Restriction Land.

1322
02:05:27,800 --> 02:05:34,640
I will speak of their ability to maintain land and to be in a very,

1323
02:05:34,640 --> 02:05:38,300
very positive engagement is of the highest quality.

1324
02:05:38,880 --> 02:05:46,880
So I'm talking in support of the Mount Grays Audubon purchase of this land at this time.

1325
02:05:46,880 --> 02:05:57,980
So, I also, last night, I gave a quote, and the quote is from one of our American heroes

1326
02:05:58,480 --> 02:06:06,520
of the environmental movement named Dwendal Berry, and he says, you can't save the land

1327
02:06:07,120 --> 02:06:12,440
apart from the people, or the people apart from the land.

1328
02:06:12,440 --> 02:06:15,260
If this we

1329
02:06:18,430 --> 02:06:20,610
do not know what we're doing.

1330
02:06:22,740 --> 02:06:30,380
I farm. I'm going to have a just something I'll say. I do not call these solar farms.

1331
02:06:30,980 --> 02:06:46,640
They are not farms. They are collectors. They do nothing to cool the earth. I farm in a way that sustainable for 30 years.

1332
02:06:46,640 --> 02:06:55,820
Our land has only become more productive, more alive with things that we don't even know.

1333
02:06:57,260 --> 02:07:06,280
And more importantly, when you cut down a tree, you only see a little tiny piece of that

1334
02:07:06,280 --> 02:07:07,160
on the surface.

1335
02:07:07,880 --> 02:07:13,020
We have no idea of what is going on under the earth.

1336
02:07:13,020 --> 02:07:22,540
what we can't see. In addition, we made a huge human mistake. One of the largest five

1337
02:07:22,540 --> 02:07:28,880
ecological disasters in the world when we sent all these people out to farm the prairies

1338
02:07:28,880 --> 02:07:37,380
and told them, no problem, kill the buffalo, cut the root 15 foot roots in prairie grasses

1339
02:07:37,380 --> 02:07:42,780
And then there was a drought, it's called the dust bowl.

1340
02:07:44,200 --> 02:07:48,260
Millions and tons of soil blew away.

1341
02:07:49,120 --> 02:07:52,280
What will happen to that 400 acres?

1342
02:07:52,760 --> 02:07:58,740
And my fear, when I just heard tonight, is that there really is an ulterior motive

1343
02:07:58,740 --> 02:08:01,620
and it's to actually sell the land for development.

1344
02:08:02,120 --> 02:08:06,560
There are lots of people right now who are very wealthy billionaires

1345
02:08:06,560 --> 02:08:14,240
who are buying up land all over the United States and it's not for the people anymore.

1346
02:08:14,720 --> 02:08:16,280
It becomes private wealth.

1347
02:08:17,560 --> 02:08:25,040
So I highly recommend that we, this wonderful board, please, let's work together and

1348
02:08:25,040 --> 02:08:26,920
put this land so it's safe.

1349
02:08:27,620 --> 02:08:28,460
Thank you.

1350
02:08:37,580 --> 02:08:38,880
My name is Mike Jevenucci.

1351
02:08:39,500 --> 02:08:41,060
I move closer to the mic, please.

1352
02:08:41,260 --> 02:08:42,460
My name is Mike Jevenucci.

1353
02:08:42,460 --> 02:08:49,780
I moved to Winchenton in 2020 and I live on River Street, I just wanted to make it

1354
02:08:49,780 --> 02:08:54,880
aware that they talk about end of life in 2050 for these solar panels.

1355
02:08:55,500 --> 02:09:03,660
The International Renewable Energy Agency is estimating just in the US alone 10 million

1356
02:09:04,020 --> 02:09:12,240
tons of waste, that's if the panel reaches its term, and they're estimating 7.5

1357
02:09:12,240 --> 02:09:23,260
million before its term, so 17.5 million tons of solar panel waste. Globally it's 78 million.

1358
02:09:26,690 --> 02:09:35,850
Now we all know to your question to Long Road about where these panels were made. We all know

1359
02:09:35,850 --> 02:09:43,110
that things made in the U.S. are great, right? Well, one thing they failed to tell you about the

1360
02:09:43,110 --> 02:09:51,910
manufacturer for solar, they use rigid film modulus to make their solar panels and is produced

1361
02:09:52,430 --> 02:09:58,310
with cadium. I hope I say this right. Cadium tell your ride is their semi-conductor. So

1362
02:09:58,310 --> 02:10:03,850
there's a lot of people on the Winchenden's residential page that think that these panels

1363
02:10:04,190 --> 02:10:10,890
are made with silicon, copper, aluminum. That's not true. The company that they're using

1364
02:10:10,890 --> 02:10:18,610
is using an extremely hazardous material and if something does happen to those panels

1365
02:10:18,610 --> 02:10:24,310
and those do leak into our waterways, we're all going to be affected by it.

1366
02:10:24,510 --> 02:10:32,390
And I think just by seeing all these people in the room here, I think most of us all agree

1367
02:10:32,390 --> 02:10:35,890
that Mount Grace should be the winner of this property.

1368
02:10:35,890 --> 02:10:39,750
I only see a raise a hand. How many want to see my grace take a problem?

1369
02:10:43,850 --> 02:10:46,590
That's it. Thank you so much for your time.

1370
02:10:46,730 --> 02:10:48,770
Okay. Thank you.

1371
02:10:57,040 --> 02:10:57,740
Good evening.

1372
02:10:58,640 --> 02:11:00,300
Hello. A little closer to the mic.

1373
02:11:00,860 --> 02:11:05,200
I'm Emma Sylvia. I've lived on Oak Street for most of my life.

1374
02:11:06,380 --> 02:11:09,680
Before I pose my question, I have a little bit of clarification.

1375
02:11:09,680 --> 02:11:19,180
Carbon sequestration is how we will meet the requirements that we need to as a town,

1376
02:11:19,460 --> 02:11:27,900
a state, and we're quietly a country to slow and or stop climate change or global warming

1377
02:11:27,900 --> 02:11:29,280
if that's what you would prefer.

1378
02:11:31,800 --> 02:11:37,380
Forests are one of the largest ways that we sequester carbon currently.

1379
02:11:39,140 --> 02:11:45,680
And I would like to know what the carbon sequestration potential of the plants that

1380
02:11:45,680 --> 02:11:49,100
long road will be replacing our forests with is.

1381
02:11:49,100 --> 02:11:49,640
So,

1382
02:11:51,960 --> 02:11:56,700
how much carbon will they store versus what our forests are storing already?

1383
02:11:59,360 --> 02:12:02,300
My guess is it's not going to be comparable.

1384
02:12:05,920 --> 02:12:07,080
Thank you very much, Ellen.

1385
02:12:14,360 --> 02:12:15,320
Hello and good evening.

1386
02:12:15,840 --> 02:12:16,260
Good evening.

1387
02:12:16,940 --> 02:12:17,900
I'm Emma Ellsworth.

1388
02:12:18,080 --> 02:12:23,840
I'm the Executive Director at Mount Grace, but I'm actually here to read a letter from

1389
02:12:23,840 --> 02:12:26,900
our former commissioner, a fishing game, Ron Amadon.

1390
02:12:26,900 --> 02:12:32,620
He's unable to join us this evening, but he sent me along in his place.

1391
02:12:33,460 --> 02:12:36,820
So good evening members of the Slack Board and fellow community members.

1392
02:12:37,640 --> 02:12:41,220
I'm sorry that I'm not able to deliver these comments with you in person tonight.

1393
02:12:41,960 --> 02:12:44,960
Unfortunately, this meeting conflicts with another club meeting.

1394
02:12:45,800 --> 02:12:49,620
I'm appealing to all of you as the retired commissioner of fishing game for

1395
02:12:49,620 --> 02:12:55,220
Massachusetts, but also as a resident of Templeton and an avid hunter and

1396
02:12:55,220 --> 02:13:00,720
Angler, who has grown up in these woods and fishing on our region's precious lakes and rivers.

1397
02:13:01,560 --> 02:13:03,700
I am also a conservationist.

1398
02:13:04,000 --> 02:13:10,220
I'm active with the Athel Bird and Nature Club, our local chapter of trout unlimited, ducks unlimited.

1399
02:13:10,980 --> 02:13:15,940
I'm the chairman of the Mill Glen Pond Trust, chairman of the board of the Snowbound Club,

1400
02:13:16,440 --> 02:13:21,080
and I'm on the Worcester County League, the chair of the Worcester County League land committee,

1401
02:13:21,080 --> 02:13:24,320
and the Otter River Sportsman Club Land Committee.

1402
02:13:25,040 --> 02:13:28,640
I care a lot about our region, about conservation,

1403
02:13:29,260 --> 02:13:31,780
and about keeping land open and accessible

1404
02:13:32,140 --> 02:13:33,220
for all residents.

1405
02:13:34,820 --> 02:13:36,580
And all of these various roles,

1406
02:13:36,940 --> 02:13:39,560
I've come to appreciate that open space

1407
02:13:40,180 --> 02:13:42,260
land is a unique commodity.

1408
02:13:43,100 --> 02:13:46,320
Once developed, built upon, it's gone forever.

1409
02:13:47,360 --> 02:13:49,460
In Massachusetts in particular,

1410
02:13:49,460 --> 02:13:53,840
We have a very discreet amount of available land remaining.

1411
02:13:54,520 --> 02:14:00,320
This land is necessary for our climate resilience, for our wildlife, for recreation.

1412
02:14:01,400 --> 02:14:07,840
The particular 1300 acres under consideration with the solar development proposal is integral

1413
02:14:08,120 --> 02:14:11,540
to one of the most intact wildlife quarters in our state.

1414
02:14:12,400 --> 02:14:18,240
The developers are advertising that they will still protect the vast majority of the land

1415
02:14:18,240 --> 02:14:27,360
they are purchasing. So we could think about this as 800 more acres conserved. In reality,

1416
02:14:27,960 --> 02:14:34,600
if you were that fisher, moose, or bobcat on the landscape, this is only acres lost.

1417
02:14:35,650 --> 02:14:42,580
If you are the dog walker, hunter, birder, who spends time wandering those woods, enjoying

1418
02:14:42,580 --> 02:14:45,920
During each nook and cranny, this is only acres lost.

1419
02:14:47,100 --> 02:14:52,880
If you're the person boating, fishing, or swimming on one of the adjoining lakes, you

1420
02:14:52,880 --> 02:14:55,960
are depending on those healthy forests to keep that water clean.

1421
02:14:56,760 --> 02:14:59,800
This is only a threat to the waters and activity

1422
02:15:01,800 --> 02:15:29,980
We know that these solar guys are promising our area a ton of money. Money that we desperately need. But they are making promises at a cost we simply cannot afford. My grandkids need us to make the right decision tonight. They need us to keep that land open. So they can enjoy the wildlife, the fresh water, the clean air, just like I have. I grew up romping these hills. And I want to make sure that this is the right place.

1423
02:15:29,980 --> 02:15:34,500
I want to be able to pass on these same joyous opportunities for the next generations.

1424
02:15:35,530 --> 02:15:37,820
We don't get to make this decision twice.

1425
02:15:38,880 --> 02:15:44,080
If there is anything I've learned in my many years in service to our magnificent outdoor spaces,

1426
02:15:44,840 --> 02:15:48,380
it is that once we lose land, we don't get it back.

1427
02:15:49,200 --> 02:15:52,560
Thank you very much for your time this evening, Ronnie Imodon.

1428
02:15:59,650 --> 02:16:04,110
Very quickly, I just want to point out because he's snuck in unbeknownst to us.

1429
02:16:04,110 --> 02:16:11,230
But we do have David O'Neill, the President of Mass Audubon, in the doorway, so thank you very much.

1430
02:16:11,670 --> 02:16:11,770
Thank you.

1431
02:16:17,670 --> 02:16:18,970
It's past my bedtime.

1432
02:16:19,310 --> 02:16:20,530
You can make this past.

1433
02:16:20,730 --> 02:16:20,830
Yes.

1434
02:16:21,190 --> 02:16:21,890
It's close to the mic.

1435
02:16:22,110 --> 02:16:22,290
Sorry.

1436
02:16:22,650 --> 02:16:27,510
Jennifer LaFernia, the Audubon West Street, and actually the two projects on West Street,

1437
02:16:28,010 --> 02:16:34,470
and the ones out by Robbins Road North, a previous person had asked.

1438
02:16:34,470 --> 02:16:38,430
those were on previously undeveloped land.

1439
02:16:38,750 --> 02:16:44,510
So we are experiencing wildlife interferement.

1440
02:16:44,930 --> 02:16:45,450
Anyways, sorry.

1441
02:16:46,370 --> 02:16:53,750
So I'm asking you, Mrs. Moderator, or for a long, long road

1442
02:16:53,750 --> 02:16:56,450
project through you.

1443
02:16:56,970 --> 02:17:00,490
What happens after the project, after the 40 years?

1444
02:17:00,950 --> 02:17:02,990
I guess I'm ignorant in that thinking

1445
02:17:02,990 --> 02:17:14,610
not these solar projects were permanent or long longer sustaining than 40 years. Also my

1446
02:17:14,610 --> 02:17:20,590
next question is would the land need a period of decontamination or arrest before it could

1447
02:17:20,590 --> 02:17:26,610
be used for another purpose and who's in charge of clearing or disclosing of the used

1448
02:17:26,610 --> 02:17:29,210
Thank you very good questions.

1449
02:17:29,850 --> 02:17:33,990
Chair Adder, Cliff, could one of you answer those questions, please?

1450
02:17:42,330 --> 02:17:43,750
I don't know if you heard all of them.

1451
02:17:44,930 --> 02:17:47,170
I think I heard maybe one and a half of them.

1452
02:17:47,950 --> 02:17:52,350
If her questions focused on the decommissioning aspect.

1453
02:17:53,450 --> 02:18:02,170
We as the owner and operator of the project would be responsible for returning the land to its original condition.

1454
02:18:02,790 --> 02:18:07,750
It's a very low impact installation. We're not building a shopping mall or a restaurant.

1455
02:18:08,770 --> 02:18:12,310
It's just pilings that are taken out of the ground.

1456
02:18:12,690 --> 02:18:17,890
And that's the foundation of that the solar panel rests on.

1457
02:18:18,130 --> 02:18:21,030
So it's just steel pilings that are taken out of the ground.

1458
02:18:21,030 --> 02:18:26,750
We'd be responsible for removing that and returning the land to its original condition.

1459
02:18:26,750 --> 02:18:32,930
and we'd be open to placing that in conservation at that time as well.

1460
02:18:34,850 --> 02:18:38,810
I don't know if that addressed all the questions, but I...

1461
02:18:38,810 --> 02:18:39,230
Jennifer?

1462
02:18:50,260 --> 02:18:51,920
No, there's not soil testing.

1463
02:18:52,160 --> 02:18:56,380
There's no liquid chemicals on the site.

1464
02:18:56,900 --> 02:18:59,500
There's nothing that leaks out of the panels.

1465
02:19:01,040 --> 02:19:04,480
There's misinformation on the internet about cadmium teleride.

1466
02:19:04,480 --> 02:19:12,380
It's a very stable compound, and I know because the company has a very developed recycling

1467
02:19:12,380 --> 02:19:18,320
program, they have to work really hard to get the panels to break down enough to get

1468
02:19:18,320 --> 02:19:22,540
the components out to recycle them and reuse it again.

1469
02:19:23,900 --> 02:19:31,160
So as far as the land itself, there's no reclamation process that needs to be done per

1470
02:19:31,160 --> 02:19:35,220
say, if it's a amount of going back in, would the, when you say return the land to

1471
02:19:35,220 --> 02:19:40,140
the original, um, original state, uh, plant trees, what, what, what, what would that

1472
02:19:40,140 --> 02:19:45,280
encompass? So could that be part of the discussion? It, uh, would be part of the

1473
02:19:45,280 --> 02:19:49,500
discussion, you know, it's typically, um, I mean, it's, it's a meadow throughout the

1474
02:19:49,500 --> 02:19:53,860
time that it's a solar farm project. So it's a meadow while it's generating

1475
02:19:53,860 --> 02:19:59,740
electricity. And we're, you know, keeping it mode and maintain to keeping, keep

1476
02:19:59,740 --> 02:20:07,740
trees from growing up on it, but, yeah, once it's, once it's decommissioned and taken out

1477
02:20:07,740 --> 02:20:14,980
of operations, yeah, we could certainly look at planting trees and incorporating that into

1478
02:20:14,980 --> 02:20:20,240
the decommissioning process, and it's important to note that, you know, I know-

1479
02:20:20,240 --> 02:20:21,100
I'm assuming you want to-

1480
02:20:21,100 --> 02:20:22,200
Could you quiet down, please?

1481
02:20:23,260 --> 02:20:24,800
And you'd ask your audience to quiet down, please.

1482
02:20:25,320 --> 02:20:25,800
Thank you.

1483
02:20:26,260 --> 02:20:26,880
Go ahead, sorry.

1484
02:20:26,880 --> 02:20:53,460
I know there's been some confusion about, you know, the number of 400 acres were actually committed to conserving 1,000 acres, so the actual footprint of the solar farm project would be 365 or less, and I definitely appreciate everyone coming out and sharing their thoughts on the proposal and their passion on the topic.

1485
02:20:53,460 --> 02:21:11,300
I mean, I wish I lived in a place where people were this involved in local government but the presentation on acreage got me to do some Googling and it looks like the number of acres in Winshundan is 27,648.

1486
02:21:11,960 --> 02:21:22,240
So I thought that was kind of interesting because within that 27,648 were committing to conserve 1,000 acres.

1487
02:21:22,240 --> 02:21:26,960
and developing a small portion of that.

1488
02:21:27,660 --> 02:21:31,900
And if there's areas of concern within the footprint

1489
02:21:31,900 --> 02:21:35,420
that we've shared, those are areas of interest

1490
02:21:35,420 --> 02:21:38,560
where it would definitely regularly

1491
02:21:38,560 --> 02:21:43,380
and would collaborate with the community on that layout

1492
02:21:43,380 --> 02:21:45,880
and would be open to feedback on that.

1493
02:21:47,000 --> 02:21:51,360
I know there's areas, but just wanted

1494
02:21:51,360 --> 02:21:57,340
to share that because this is typically the real estate parts part of the process is the

1495
02:21:57,340 --> 02:22:03,280
first step in the process and it's followed by a lengthy permitting process that we would

1496
02:22:04,280 --> 02:22:11,960
love to engage in and so that's all I wanted to say about that. Thank you very much.

1497
02:22:11,960 --> 02:22:12,500
Thanks.

1498
02:22:12,500 --> 02:22:12,900
Thanks.

1499
02:22:23,270 --> 02:22:24,430
Yes, absolutely.

1500
02:22:24,610 --> 02:22:25,090
Let's go ahead.

1501
02:22:25,130 --> 02:22:26,010
I'm sorry.

1502
02:22:26,390 --> 02:22:27,210
That's okay.

1503
02:22:27,570 --> 02:22:30,770
Hi, I'm Bob Rezesk and I have a question.

1504
02:22:31,470 --> 02:22:38,590
So regarding this solar, right, aside from the financial gains I just saying that's going

1505
02:22:38,590 --> 02:22:40,230
to be coming back to the town,

1506
02:22:42,610 --> 02:22:47,970
is us as a community going to be able to tap into that solar?

1507
02:22:48,650 --> 02:22:51,850
I mean, the energy produced by the field?

1508
02:22:51,850 --> 02:23:01,910
Yeah, is this an opportunity as a community, are we able to tap in as my question?

1509
02:23:02,410 --> 02:23:06,290
I mean, it'll, the electricity will go on to the grid, but

1510
02:23:06,290 --> 02:23:10,950
we'll enter into contracts with, it hasn't been determined yet.

1511
02:23:11,110 --> 02:23:15,510
We'd definitely be interested in entering into contracts with whether it's,

1512
02:23:15,630 --> 02:23:20,730
you know, it might have to, it might be more than just lynchened in, because the 50 megawatts,

1513
02:23:20,730 --> 02:23:29,550
You know, I understand is more than Winston's load, but we'd be excited to enter into a contract with Winston for the power.

1514
02:23:30,710 --> 02:23:33,990
You know, I know it's just a question of scale.

1515
02:23:34,390 --> 02:23:41,170
You know, the revenue that you mentioned I think is easily a few percent percent.

1516
02:23:41,470 --> 02:23:46,290
I think it's around 3 percent or so of the annual budget of the town.

1517
02:23:46,290 --> 02:23:53,350
So, you know, while if you split that up by each individual person, it doesn't sound

1518
02:23:53,350 --> 02:23:59,750
like a big amount, but it's money that's going into the town's budget and avoiding tax

1519
02:23:59,750 --> 02:24:00,290
increases.

1520
02:24:00,830 --> 02:24:07,070
So there's definitely a number of ways that the project would benefit, and we would look

1521
02:24:07,070 --> 02:24:14,710
to, if there's an opportunity to enter into a power purchase agreement with the town

1522
02:24:14,710 --> 02:24:15,930
on that's definitely something we've been doing.

1523
02:24:15,950 --> 02:24:19,830
The reason why I asked that question is because I don't know.

1524
02:24:19,990 --> 02:24:23,650
I have not heard anybody say that they have participated

1525
02:24:24,290 --> 02:24:27,810
in any of the solar farms around in the area.

1526
02:24:28,970 --> 02:24:32,630
I have experienced it.

1527
02:24:33,210 --> 02:24:35,530
And I will tell you, it was a complete nightmare.

1528
02:24:35,990 --> 02:24:37,290
I'm sorry, but it was.

1529
02:24:37,770 --> 02:24:38,570
I'm being honest.

1530
02:24:40,450 --> 02:24:48,730
I had to decide a contract which, no problem, I thought I was going into a good thing.

1531
02:24:49,030 --> 02:24:51,370
I thought this was a good deal.

1532
02:24:51,710 --> 02:24:57,810
I thought I was going to save all this money on my electric bill, all this good stuff, right?

1533
02:24:58,170 --> 02:25:01,290
In the end, my bill tripled.

1534
02:25:02,030 --> 02:25:02,830
It tripled.

1535
02:25:03,490 --> 02:25:05,790
I appreciate that import, thank you.

1536
02:25:05,930 --> 02:25:07,550
But we're kind of talking, that's kind of a theoretical problem.

1537
02:25:07,550 --> 02:25:26,410
But I just want to share that because if the solar came in and they were able to, if they contracted with a company say like community solar, right, that's a good one, right, that's a big one, right, if they contracted with that and people

1538
02:25:26,410 --> 02:25:36,330
will tap into that and they get involved, the same thing can happen, I'm just saying take a look at that.

1539
02:25:36,390 --> 02:25:36,710
Thank you.

1540
02:25:37,270 --> 02:25:38,890
All right, I appreciate it.

1541
02:25:39,230 --> 02:25:40,010
Thank you very much.

1542
02:25:41,030 --> 02:25:41,870
Thank you.

1543
02:25:42,210 --> 02:25:54,940
I could just clarify that community solar is a program that is native to Massachusetts.

1544
02:25:54,940 --> 02:26:02,740
It's not something that we don't sell to residential customers, so it's a very different business model.

1545
02:26:02,900 --> 02:26:03,800
Yes, thank you.

1546
02:26:04,900 --> 02:26:07,300
Hi, my name is Travis Drudy.

1547
02:26:07,620 --> 02:26:10,420
I live on Lake Monomenac with my family.

1548
02:26:11,000 --> 02:26:13,020
I've got three young kids, 369.

1549
02:26:15,260 --> 02:26:18,680
The Drudy family has been paying taxes in this town for 70 years.

1550
02:26:19,780 --> 02:26:21,980
One of the first camps on Monomenac.

1551
02:26:21,980 --> 02:26:25,740
We couldn't be more against the solar in that piece of wood

1552
02:26:26,680 --> 02:26:33,820
It's an ecologically sensitive area. I know a lot about the the species and the resources out there

1553
02:26:33,820 --> 02:26:38,480
There's a reason why Mount Grace wants to spend that money to protect it

1554
02:26:39,680 --> 02:26:48,080
They want to spend the money to benefit a few people the landowner is gonna make out in the solar company. We are not going to

1555
02:26:48,080 --> 02:26:52,220
to the tax money that we get is not going to make a difference.

1556
02:26:53,960 --> 02:26:58,140
The detriment to the groundwater in there, to the rare species, I'm not sure if they

1557
02:26:58,140 --> 02:27:00,820
know there's rare species in there because that's going to be a problem permitting.

1558
02:27:03,200 --> 02:27:08,940
It would be devastating to that area, habitat fragmentation, that is a prime example of it,

1559
02:27:09,100 --> 02:27:14,660
that is the worst thing that you can do to a piece of wood, and we're talking long road

1560
02:27:14,660 --> 02:27:15,060
energy.

1561
02:27:15,060 --> 02:27:19,220
I guess long road is is that 40 years holopanels that's not a long road

1562
02:27:20,000 --> 02:27:23,240
That that piece of wood has been through a long road with native Americans

1563
02:27:24,160 --> 02:27:28,160
Said living off the land since the beginning of time. There's families in here

1564
02:27:28,900 --> 02:27:33,940
The forage they hunt they feed their families every year off of that land

1565
02:27:35,670 --> 02:27:40,810
These the guys from you know, I love Boston Boston, you know, great

1566
02:27:42,150 --> 02:27:45,950
But they don't pay taxes in this town. They don't drink the water in this town

1567
02:27:45,950 --> 02:27:51,370
they don't swim in this town, they don't hunt in this town, and the other ones are going

1568
02:27:51,370 --> 02:27:55,930
to make out. It disgusts me to see farms and woods turned in the solar fields.

1569
02:27:58,110 --> 02:27:58,550
It's

1570
02:27:58,550 --> 02:28:08,310
a short-term thinking. The highly aggressive net zero plane is unrealistic. It's not going

1571
02:28:08,310 --> 02:28:12,850
to happen. This solar farm would not make a difference in it. I'm telling you right now

1572
02:28:12,850 --> 02:28:18,170
was not going to make a difference but it will to the future of this town. There's no

1573
02:28:18,170 --> 02:28:24,010
sort of remediation that will bring back the land that's there or the water and that's

1574
02:28:24,010 --> 02:28:24,450
a fact.

1575
02:28:27,840 --> 02:28:33,180
Between Mount Grace and Mass Wildlife, you will definitely get that money. There's

1576
02:28:33,180 --> 02:28:40,020
no guarantees with lawn road 40-ish old panels. That's all I have to say. Thank you.

1577
02:28:40,020 --> 02:28:41,420
My name is Rodney

1578
02:28:51,590 --> 02:28:58,570
Brow. I live on school street. My family's been in town for well over a hundred years.

1579
02:28:59,190 --> 02:29:07,210
I moved back ten years ago in 2013. My property sits if you were to draw a line from the solar panel farms on Lincoln Ave.

1580
02:29:07,930 --> 02:29:18,650
It's the ones on West Street right between them. Since those sites were built and went online, I've noticed a marked difference in the amount of wildlife crossing my property.

1581
02:29:21,270 --> 02:29:28,510
So, game cameras being out on the land and it has definitely declined and changed.

1582
02:29:30,090 --> 02:29:34,890
One of the things I'd like to also bring to your attention a little bit of history.

1583
02:29:35,390 --> 02:29:37,630
The town denuded its forests once.

1584
02:29:39,010 --> 02:29:45,550
Through the 1700s and the 1800s, when we were running all the factories in town, thanks

1585
02:29:45,550 --> 02:29:59,890
to the foresight of some of the benefactors, it was reinforced it seems kind of a slap in the face to those families that are still in town that are descended from to turn around.

1586
02:30:00,000 --> 02:30:29,180
And cut all the forest back up again to, I don't remember his name, from Long Road, 27,000 acres. Roughly, if you divide that 370 acres, that's 1.3% in the land. So, that's just as one. And, there's a reason why all these companies from Boston and inside of 128 are coming here.

1587
02:30:29,860 --> 02:30:35,960
They're taking our land, they're taking our resources, and they're taking the money, and they're walking away.

1588
02:30:36,480 --> 02:30:42,000
They don't live here, they don't have kids in the school here, like the gentleman that was here,

1589
02:30:42,340 --> 02:30:45,460
they're not hunting, they're not fishing, they're not drinking the water.

1590
02:30:46,020 --> 02:30:48,460
The land means nothing to them other than profit.

1591
02:30:49,800 --> 02:30:56,680
And quite frankly, I think the town spoke quite clearly yesterday that everybody's sick of it.

1592
02:30:58,360 --> 02:31:04,560
So you're here to do what's best for the town, the town has told you what's best for the town.

1593
02:31:04,840 --> 02:31:08,340
There's really only one way you should be voting on this tonight.

1594
02:31:09,080 --> 02:31:12,980
And that's to transfer and conserve the property.

1595
02:31:14,080 --> 02:31:14,840
Thank you sir.

1596
02:31:24,340 --> 02:31:24,780
Good evening.

1597
02:31:25,200 --> 02:31:25,560
Good evening.

1598
02:31:25,860 --> 02:31:27,100
My name is Adam Sherwin.

1599
02:31:28,300 --> 02:31:29,100
I live in town here.

1600
02:31:29,460 --> 02:31:30,560
My wife grew up here.

1601
02:31:30,560 --> 02:31:36,840
here. Real quick, I mean, you can look around the room and you can see your decision is

1602
02:31:36,840 --> 02:31:41,960
already here. It's already been made or it should have been. All I can say is I hope

1603
02:31:41,960 --> 02:31:50,940
you make the right one. Maul Grace and Mass Audemont have got our best interest in their

1604
02:31:50,940 --> 02:31:53,620
thoughts and hopefully you do too. Thank you very much for your time.

1605
02:31:54,000 --> 02:31:54,440
Thank you, sir.

1606
02:32:01,900 --> 02:32:08,980
Hello. Hi, Jim. I'm Jill Sackett. I live on Lake Monomenac. I am here

1607
02:32:08,980 --> 02:32:17,960
I was serving on the Master Plan Committee, and I'm now chair of the Master Plan Implementation Committee, among other hats in town.

1608
02:32:18,720 --> 02:32:20,580
Thank you for having the public meeting tonight.

1609
02:32:22,400 --> 02:32:27,700
I'm glad that you're trying to collect the will of the people and explore this topic with everyone.

1610
02:32:28,540 --> 02:32:36,440
I'd like to say that you already have the will of the people expressed to you in the body of the Master Plan.

1611
02:32:36,440 --> 02:32:51,860
And, everybody else here who hasn't read it, I really encourage you to go and read the town's master plan, particularly the land use chapter that talks to a lot of the things that are relevant here tonight.

1612
02:32:53,020 --> 02:33:01,340
We're hearing a lot of concern tonight about the land, so the sentiments are already expressed in the master plan.

1613
02:33:02,120 --> 02:33:15,440
If we don't follow, I think this recommendation to consider this particular piece of land, this very precious, important piece of land, to a conservation agency,

1614
02:33:16,480 --> 02:33:23,700
I'm just saying what are we saying about the importance of the master plan and what's been expressed in there in the land use chapter?

1615
02:33:24,340 --> 02:33:33,500
What are we saying to the volunteers that spent six years refining and building and taking public input to build that master plan.

1616
02:33:34,140 --> 02:33:42,360
What are we saying to the current volunteers that are sitting on the master plan implementation committee that have been trying to execute this for the first time ever.

1617
02:33:42,480 --> 02:33:49,300
We have an implementation committee that's actually trying to execute a plan that this town has paid for and worked on.

1618
02:33:49,800 --> 02:34:00,120
And what are we saying to all the volunteers on the boards and the committees, some of whom I've met with here to talk about the elements of the master plan and try to get some progress on it.

1619
02:34:01,000 --> 02:34:16,300
There's a real opportunity here to tell the town that you support their will that has been expressed in the master plan, particularly if I only use chapter, there's a real opportunity to put your stamp on that and show your support and

1620
02:34:16,300 --> 02:34:20,760
show that we're going to support the master plan and it will become an active

1621
02:34:20,760 --> 02:34:24,720
master plan and not shelf wear. Thank you thank you.

1622
02:34:34,250 --> 02:34:37,210
Good evening. Hi my name is Liz

1623
02:34:37,210 --> 02:34:43,250
Wilson. I live on Tucker Street here in Winchendon but I am also the Finance and

1624
02:34:43,250 --> 02:34:48,190
Administration Manager at Mount Grace and I am on their leadership team and I want

1625
02:34:48,190 --> 02:34:53,890
to kind of not speak as somebody from Mount Grace but as a resident in this

1626
02:34:53,890 --> 02:34:59,450
This moment to say that part of the reason I went to work from out grades five years ago

1627
02:34:59,450 --> 02:35:05,210
was because I have family here, I have a son here, I have another son on the way, and

1628
02:35:05,210 --> 02:35:11,690
I want this place to be a place that he can recognize, and that I can show him, that I

1629
02:35:11,690 --> 02:35:16,390
can lead my children through these places, these special forests, these rivers, that I can

1630
02:35:16,390 --> 02:35:22,150
make sure that he's going to have drinking water and supplies, that I don't have to worry about

1631
02:35:22,150 --> 02:35:24,550
it just becoming endless solar fields.

1632
02:35:25,110 --> 02:35:31,010
Mt. Grace is not just here in support of members of the community, but is a part of this community.

1633
02:35:31,150 --> 02:35:36,690
Our entire staff comes from this region in this area and cares very deeply about it.

1634
02:35:37,250 --> 02:35:46,050
They would not be here tonight if they did not, and we would not be advocating for this if we thought that the conservation solution proposed by long road was reasonable.

1635
02:35:46,790 --> 02:35:51,170
I don't, as a resident, believe that what they're proposing makes sense.

1636
02:35:52,050 --> 02:35:59,130
I very firmly hope that you will put that trust in Mass Audubon and that you will give them the right of first refusal.

1637
02:35:59,930 --> 02:36:00,570
Thank you.

1638
02:36:04,690 --> 02:36:05,170
Good

1639
02:36:08,560 --> 02:36:09,040
evening.

1640
02:36:09,260 --> 02:36:09,740
Good evening.

1641
02:36:10,040 --> 02:36:11,040
Thank you for the opportunity.

1642
02:36:11,460 --> 02:36:12,420
You're most welcome.

1643
02:36:12,860 --> 02:36:13,820
My name is Ken Gendron.

1644
02:36:14,120 --> 02:36:16,300
I live 18 Sunset Drive in Ashburnham.

1645
02:36:17,000 --> 02:36:17,660
A little closer.

1646
02:36:18,020 --> 02:36:19,600
Sorry, I did the same thing to everybody.

1647
02:36:20,820 --> 02:36:24,220
For the last 27 years I've been on the engineering consulting industry

1648
02:36:24,220 --> 02:36:28,460
and most of my time, these developments are in my clients.

1649
02:36:29,100 --> 02:36:33,160
So I know what most of these types of developers have been my clients.

1650
02:36:33,400 --> 02:36:36,420
So I've been sitting here usually on their side trying to say,

1651
02:36:36,500 --> 02:36:38,400
hey, this is why we want to do this project.

1652
02:36:39,140 --> 02:36:43,440
Why I'm speaking is I want to get some context to the town to understand,

1653
02:36:43,760 --> 02:36:46,780
yes, they may have the right of frist refusal to buy the property,

1654
02:36:46,920 --> 02:36:50,760
but the cost five years from now may be a lot different than what they are today.

1655
02:36:50,760 --> 02:36:56,200
For context of the folks in the, when these sites go through this process there's a

1656
02:36:56,200 --> 02:37:01,860
due diligence period which requires initial site civil design, my initial geotechnical design,

1657
02:37:02,240 --> 02:37:05,620
initial environmental permitting, all to surveys, all of that.

1658
02:37:06,160 --> 02:37:09,740
That's going to be roughly in a project size somewhere north of $2.5 million.

1659
02:37:10,320 --> 02:37:13,120
So you've got a $6 million purchase price for the property.

1660
02:37:13,500 --> 02:37:17,860
Then they're going to invest somewhere between $2.5 to that, put you around the $8 million mark.

1661
02:37:18,440 --> 02:37:22,860
Now, say this project doesn't fall through and they're going to come back and say to you,

1662
02:37:22,920 --> 02:37:28,760
okay, Town, you know how the writer first refusal for what is $8.5 million for five years from now,

1663
02:37:29,120 --> 02:37:32,380
doing some quick numbers or whatever, you're probably looking at something between $12.5 million.

1664
02:37:33,340 --> 02:37:39,040
The way I see it, the Town's won the lottery for $6 million in the form of the Autobahn sitting behind me.

1665
02:37:39,860 --> 02:37:44,940
You win the lottery once in your life, you're not going to win it twice and you're not going to win it for twice the amount they had down the road.

1666
02:37:44,940 --> 02:37:51,800
So you need to be cognizant of the fact of what is the actual purchase price going to be for the rights for the town right to do that.

1667
02:37:52,140 --> 02:37:57,320
And six years from now or four years from now, if this doesn't happen, given the significant obstacles it has to go through.

1668
02:37:58,580 --> 02:37:59,660
Thank you very much.

1669
02:38:06,670 --> 02:38:07,350
Good evening.

1670
02:38:12,260 --> 02:38:13,380
My name is Russ Gawlin.

1671
02:38:13,540 --> 02:38:14,160
A little closer.

1672
02:38:14,860 --> 02:38:15,000
Hello?

1673
02:38:15,400 --> 02:38:15,740
Yes.

1674
02:38:16,040 --> 02:38:17,120
My name is Russ Gawlin.

1675
02:38:17,340 --> 02:38:18,200
I live on Melon Road.

1676
02:38:18,560 --> 02:38:21,300
And I want to thank half the people on my road for being here tonight.

1677
02:38:22,100 --> 02:38:36,080
I served two terms on the planning board a long time ago, and about 20 years ago I also worked on an earlier version of the master plan, so planning is important to me and I hope we do it for a reason.

1678
02:38:36,760 --> 02:38:48,580
Now I don't know if you're aware, but there is a town committee called the Open Space Preservation and or Survey Revolving Fund Advisory Committee.

1679
02:38:48,580 --> 02:38:56,120
And I was appointed by the Board of Selectmen since 2010, I've renewed my term, but I'm

1680
02:38:56,120 --> 02:39:00,380
the only member on the Board, it's supposed to be five of us, and our job is to advise

1681
02:39:00,800 --> 02:39:09,060
the Board of Selectmen on right or first refusal for chapter 6 and 61 change of use.

1682
02:39:10,940 --> 02:39:12,780
I can't speak for the committee, I guess.

1683
02:39:13,300 --> 02:39:14,660
Well, you can, you're the only one on it.

1684
02:39:15,060 --> 02:39:15,940
I'm the only one on it.

1685
02:39:15,940 --> 02:39:21,520
And we have never had a meeting, and so Paul Kaczynski died, he was the chair.

1686
02:39:22,880 --> 02:39:25,580
So I don't want to be redundant.

1687
02:39:26,200 --> 02:39:32,480
So there are only a couple things that I haven't heard tonight is, one is that the soils

1688
02:39:32,480 --> 02:39:39,520
in our area are very thin and very young, like since glaciation is, you know, 9 to 15,000

1689
02:39:39,520 --> 02:39:41,560
years, and it's only this thick.

1690
02:39:42,200 --> 02:39:52,320
So, if we're going to have these eight areas totaling about 400 acres, you'll have to be connected by access roads.

1691
02:39:53,340 --> 02:39:57,820
And all the solar areas need to be dug up to put in posts.

1692
02:39:59,060 --> 02:40:02,380
There's an awful lot of soil disturbance that nobody's mentioned yet.

1693
02:40:02,620 --> 02:40:06,560
And that kind of bothers me because our soils are pretty fragile.

1694
02:40:06,560 --> 02:40:10,040
So no one's mentioned that yet.

1695
02:40:11,600 --> 02:40:16,180
And I'm the person who is responsible for putting this New York Times article in your

1696
02:40:16,180 --> 02:40:16,540
packets.

1697
02:40:17,180 --> 02:40:17,520
It's fun.

1698
02:40:18,000 --> 02:40:18,340
Thank you.

1699
02:40:19,580 --> 02:40:19,840
Yep.

1700
02:40:20,660 --> 02:40:20,820
Yeah.

1701
02:40:21,100 --> 02:40:21,240
Yeah.

1702
02:40:22,480 --> 02:40:30,560
Which deals with trees being better at fighting climate change than replacing fossil fuels

1703
02:40:30,560 --> 02:40:31,720
with solar.

1704
02:40:32,140 --> 02:40:32,420
Really?

1705
02:40:33,100 --> 02:40:34,060
I mean, we need to do both.

1706
02:40:34,060 --> 02:40:35,960
and I'm not opposed to solar.

1707
02:40:36,960 --> 02:40:41,860
I also want to say that having been on planning boards,

1708
02:40:42,280 --> 02:40:47,620
and I understand support of selectmen must make compromises

1709
02:40:47,620 --> 02:40:52,460
and sort of thread the needle on a lot of these decisions

1710
02:40:53,060 --> 02:40:55,680
in trying to figure out what benefits the town the most.

1711
02:40:56,560 --> 02:40:58,920
And so it's not easy to do.

1712
02:40:59,140 --> 02:41:03,540
And I worked on developments that I probably would have

1713
02:41:03,540 --> 02:41:10,160
preferred not to have done, but there are compromises, and that's what we do.

1714
02:41:10,740 --> 02:41:18,160
So having heard all the testimony tonight, as a member of the advisory committee,

1715
02:41:18,520 --> 02:41:26,180
I would advise you to go with the Mass Audemont and Mount Grace proposal to assign me.

1716
02:41:36,170 --> 02:41:41,570
Madam Chair, I would say we should give the gentleman a piece of paper and he can take

1717
02:41:41,570 --> 02:41:44,890
many of your names and that committee could be followed by the end of the night.

1718
02:41:45,490 --> 02:41:46,730
That would be wonderful, yes.

1719
02:41:47,610 --> 02:41:48,090
Sir.

1720
02:41:56,020 --> 02:41:57,700
Hi, my name is Benjamin Cleardier.

1721
02:41:58,060 --> 02:41:59,320
I live over on Webster Street.

1722
02:42:02,000 --> 02:42:09,640
My whole thing is what this solar thing is, we have a Hillview business park that is pretty

1723
02:42:09,640 --> 02:42:19,840
much on bordering that, that was already cleared for a solar farm already. Why are we utilizing

1724
02:42:19,840 --> 02:42:32,460
that property instead of trying to cut down 400 acres of forest that is ecologically more than

1725
02:42:32,460 --> 02:42:39,720
what it is up on, he'll be a business park. And not only that, but we have a river that

1726
02:42:39,720 --> 02:42:49,060
runs right down the center of our town with dams that need fixing and stuff. Why don't

1727
02:42:49,060 --> 02:42:57,440
we look into utilizing those and trying to convert some of those into hydroelectric dams,

1728
02:42:57,440 --> 02:43:06,360
So that way there we're minimizing our footprint on the earth and we're using what's already there.

1729
02:43:08,370 --> 02:43:19,310
Being an out of avid outdoorsman and whatnot hiker and stuff, I would like to see more of that stuff happening more than seeing solar farms being built.

1730
02:43:19,310 --> 02:43:26,390
I'm not against the whole green energy thing. I just think there's better ways of doing it and more ways of

1731
02:43:26,390 --> 02:43:29,990
conserving our land than what we're doing currently.

1732
02:43:31,130 --> 02:43:32,170
Thank you.

1733
02:43:39,080 --> 02:43:42,480
Is there anyone who wishes to speak this evening on this issue?

1734
02:43:46,470 --> 02:43:51,910
I'm looking around very carefully. I don't see anyone else in line. Madam Chair. Yes, Mrs. Anderson.

1735
02:43:52,230 --> 02:43:54,630
I'd like to make a motion to close the public hearing.

1736
02:43:54,630 --> 02:44:00,330
Second. Thank you, May 2nd, to close the public hearing. All in favor say aye.

1737
02:44:00,670 --> 02:44:00,870
Aye.

1738
02:44:01,350 --> 02:44:02,370
And the Chair votes aye.

1739
02:44:02,510 --> 02:44:04,390
The public hearing is now closed.

1740
02:44:05,910 --> 02:44:11,090
So I will turn it to the board for questions, comments, discussions.

1741
02:44:11,990 --> 02:44:12,490
Madam Chair.

1742
02:44:12,930 --> 02:44:13,390
Mr. Ward.

1743
02:44:14,290 --> 02:44:15,550
I may as well be the first to go.

1744
02:44:17,050 --> 02:44:19,930
First of all, I'll never be able to look at the clock memorial.

1745
02:44:19,930 --> 02:44:21,450
The same again, thanks for that.

1746
02:44:25,000 --> 02:44:32,600
This is probably for me been one of the most tormenting decisions I've had to make, because

1747
02:44:32,600 --> 02:44:38,300
as a selectman I do have to look at revenue. It is important. We don't have enough revenue

1748
02:44:38,300 --> 02:44:45,920
in this town, but I also have to look at the other side. So I've been over this one and

1749
02:44:45,920 --> 02:44:54,160
And I've been a supporter of both sides about three times this week and really what brought

1750
02:44:54,160 --> 02:44:59,880
me back to making a decision, somebody in this audience once said, what is your crime

1751
02:45:00,000 --> 02:45:29,120
My criteria for making a decision, while my criteria as a selectman, has always been the history of the town. That's my number one, and so I have three histories of winch in on my book show, which I look at about every two weeks. And the master plan, 2020. And as a lifelong resident, I have to go with my gut on what's best for the town. So when I look at the history, I found that

1752
02:45:29,120 --> 02:45:31,900
We've had several villages in this town.

1753
02:45:32,240 --> 02:45:34,060
We've cleared land to make villages.

1754
02:45:34,540 --> 02:45:37,600
We've had mills all over town.

1755
02:45:38,500 --> 02:45:40,960
And yet, when I looked at the 2020 master plan,

1756
02:45:41,580 --> 02:45:44,100
I was amazed to find that in 2020,

1757
02:45:44,420 --> 02:45:48,840
we still had 72% of forests in Winshundan.

1758
02:45:49,480 --> 02:45:50,440
Think about that.

1759
02:45:51,480 --> 02:45:54,980
We did all that clearing and we still had 72%.

1760
02:45:54,980 --> 02:45:57,240
So the founders of this town

1761
02:45:57,240 --> 02:46:00,720
We're stewards of the of the land they were

1762
02:46:01,800 --> 02:46:07,080
So that I've been forward. What did we do in the past? How do we what what was our reaction?

1763
02:46:07,600 --> 02:46:14,480
Looking at the master plan it does give you a choice. I mean it does have that we need to look at

1764
02:46:15,880 --> 02:46:20,060
Saving the land, but it also has a preface in there for select men

1765
02:46:20,060 --> 02:46:23,440
People who make decisions we do have to weigh

1766
02:46:24,480 --> 02:46:31,140
the tax burden on the homeowners and so on. So that's why as selectmen we have to

1767
02:46:31,140 --> 02:46:34,700
go back and forth and that's why it's been a living nightmare for the last

1768
02:46:34,700 --> 02:46:41,040
couple weeks. But bottom line I have to look at it as a lifelong resident. I've

1769
02:46:41,040 --> 02:46:50,360
been in residence in 1946 so when I go with my gut and people who know me know I was

1770
02:46:50,360 --> 02:46:54,200
I was out there fighting for the senior center because we didn't want to destroy it.

1771
02:46:54,640 --> 02:46:58,920
I was out there fighting for the library to be renovated because I didn't want to destroy it.

1772
02:46:59,560 --> 02:47:06,880
I was out there on the God Park committee to restore that because I don't believe in getting rid of what works in town.

1773
02:47:07,960 --> 02:47:15,200
I can't get rid of the trees so I will support Mass Audubon on this issue.

1774
02:47:26,130 --> 02:47:29,530
Any further, anything further from the board, questions, comments?

1775
02:47:29,970 --> 02:47:30,430
Madam Chair.

1776
02:47:30,690 --> 02:47:31,390
Mr. Zanderson.

1777
02:47:33,250 --> 02:47:38,550
I think unlike Mr. Ward, I was elected to serve the people of Winchinon.

1778
02:47:40,070 --> 02:47:42,650
So it's not really about what I want at all.

1779
02:47:43,130 --> 02:47:46,330
It's really about what the people, and to be their representative.

1780
02:47:46,690 --> 02:47:48,130
And so that's what I intend to do.

1781
02:47:53,900 --> 02:47:54,140
Thank you.

1782
02:47:55,080 --> 02:47:55,880
Madam Chair.

1783
02:47:55,880 --> 02:47:58,320
Mrs. Appointe.

1784
02:47:58,320 --> 02:48:02,360
So, Lake Rick said, it's been a long month.

1785
02:48:02,800 --> 02:48:04,040
It's been a very long month.

1786
02:48:04,540 --> 02:48:08,620
And mostly because of this, it's not a light decision.

1787
02:48:10,560 --> 02:48:16,060
Coming in here tonight, I do, I support the Long Road Project.

1788
02:48:16,340 --> 02:48:25,860
However, we are elected to hear you and to really consider what you say and to do what's in your room.

1789
02:48:25,860 --> 02:48:31,360
best interest in and we hear you. I came in tonight. I was going to vote that we just

1790
02:48:31,360 --> 02:48:36,280
let things go, but I will vote to assign our right tonight.

1791
02:48:44,000 --> 02:48:45,340
Madam Chair. Mrs. Blanchard.

1792
02:48:45,840 --> 02:48:52,360
I also would like to vote to support the Autobahn. I would

1793
02:48:58,180 --> 02:48:59,380
also like to thank the community

1794
02:48:59,380 --> 02:49:04,260
for coming out so strongly tonight. You were heard tonight. Thank you.

1795
02:49:11,760 --> 02:49:13,900
There are pros and cons to being chair.

1796
02:49:16,760 --> 02:49:24,660
First and foremost, I appreciate the recognition that we do have to look at both sides of the

1797
02:49:24,660 --> 02:49:24,980
story.

1798
02:49:25,640 --> 02:49:27,400
We have a fiduciary responsibility.

1799
02:49:28,680 --> 02:49:34,620
The last four or five days I've put post out there on Facebook, you know kind of poking

1800
02:49:34,620 --> 02:49:37,240
and the bruise a little bit to get to hear from you,

1801
02:49:37,800 --> 02:49:40,440
and not one person took me to task.

1802
02:49:40,980 --> 02:49:42,280
And I, well, one person did.

1803
02:49:42,960 --> 02:49:44,000
But that's OK.

1804
02:49:44,520 --> 02:49:45,700
That is absolutely OK.

1805
02:49:48,780 --> 02:49:53,060
With the financial responsibility that the board has,

1806
02:49:53,840 --> 02:49:59,000
speaking for myself, I don't know where she is.

1807
02:50:00,980 --> 02:50:07,400
back in the mid-90s, my family put 150 acres of land into conservation through Mount Grace.

1808
02:50:07,980 --> 02:50:09,460
So I worked with Mount Grace before.

1809
02:50:10,020 --> 02:50:10,340
Thank you.

1810
02:50:12,260 --> 02:50:17,020
So I'm big on conservation, dammit.

1811
02:50:19,200 --> 02:50:24,220
I won't say I regret this, but the next time that we're looking at the budget, and

1812
02:50:24,220 --> 02:50:29,120
we're wishing we could come up with some money, but that being said,

1813
02:50:29,120 --> 02:50:58,840
I move that the board assign the town's right of First Refusal, arising under that certain notice of intent to sell, given by Wingenen Forest, LLC, date of September 5th, 2023 to Massachusetts Audubon Society, Incorporated, a non-profit cooperation pursuant to General Law Chapter 61, Section 8, upon the terms contained in that certain assignment, and acceptance of right-averse

1814
02:50:58,840 --> 02:51:02,420
First refusal, dated December 12, 2023.

1815
02:51:04,600 --> 02:51:09,180
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, please, let us do our work.

1816
02:51:09,300 --> 02:51:10,000
Let us do our work.

1817
02:51:10,520 --> 02:51:11,080
Second.

1818
02:51:11,480 --> 02:51:11,900
Thank you.

1819
02:51:11,960 --> 02:51:13,040
It's been made and seconded.

1820
02:51:13,120 --> 02:51:13,940
Any further discussion?

1821
02:51:15,500 --> 02:51:16,820
Oh, in favor say aye.

1822
02:51:17,140 --> 02:51:17,360
Aye.

1823
02:51:17,800 --> 02:51:18,700
And the chair votes aye.

1824
02:51:21,450 --> 02:51:23,050
More for five minute recess.

1825
02:51:24,550 --> 02:51:25,110
Okay.

1826
02:51:25,670 --> 02:51:28,010
But we have a five minute recess.

1827
02:51:28,250 --> 02:51:28,610
Thank you.

1828
02:51:28,610 --> 02:51:29,530
So I'm

1829
02:57:20,340 --> 02:57:24,980
going to call back to order this meeting of the Winch and Board of Selectmen at 957.

1830
02:57:27,220 --> 02:57:37,840
Moving on, we have no boards and committees, department meeting reports tonight, no appointments, resignations, permit license applications.

1831
02:57:38,380 --> 02:57:43,420
We have before us the 2024 Annual License Renewals.

1832
02:57:46,120 --> 02:57:47,860
Thank you very much Deb for the memo.

1833
02:57:47,860 --> 02:57:54,730
Well, it was very helpful and for putting the, you know, these are online math.

1834
02:57:55,370 --> 02:57:55,650
Yes.

1835
02:57:56,170 --> 02:57:59,570
I appreciate it because I'd like to thank Deb for all the work on this.

1836
02:57:59,750 --> 02:58:03,910
There was a lot of chasing back and forth as we do every year, so I appreciate all the

1837
02:58:03,910 --> 02:58:04,150
efforts.

1838
02:58:04,730 --> 02:58:05,890
Yes, absolutely.

1839
02:58:08,410 --> 02:58:16,050
So I noted, so rescuating, cruising 20, rescuonies, cruising 12 will not be renewing.

1840
02:58:16,050 --> 02:58:21,710
3 light 3 have not responded. The carriage house restaurant which you know is closed.

1841
02:58:23,050 --> 02:58:27,710
Lady get nutrition which I'm not sure if they're still open even now and then the PJ's

1842
02:58:27,710 --> 02:58:29,550
slushed shop stop.

1843
02:58:31,920 --> 02:58:36,760
Of all the licenses we have a few that has

1844
02:58:36,760 --> 02:58:43,320
amount standing documents. A little bit blurry, look at these splits like new auto parts

1845
02:58:43,320 --> 02:58:51,960
since CNS Pizza, Camelot Farms is back on the list, it has not been just a quick renewal.

1846
02:58:56,760 --> 02:59:07,520
So what my thought is, typically what we'll do is do a three month renewal for the businesses

1847
02:59:07,520 --> 02:59:14,740
that have outstanding issues to get them a chance to get all the paperwork in and permits

1848
02:59:14,740 --> 02:59:23,040
and stuff like that. My only concern on that is CNUS Pizza, because it's an inspection issue.

1849
02:59:24,360 --> 02:59:30,180
Do you know if the board would want to do it just like a 30 day and then get a follow-up on that?

1850
02:59:31,700 --> 02:59:35,080
What if the board just wants to go straight 90 day?

1851
02:59:37,420 --> 02:59:41,220
So I'll just open up the board on any of these outstanding issues.

1852
02:59:41,220 --> 02:59:41,460
Yes.

1853
02:59:44,260 --> 02:59:59,480
Madam Chair. Yes. Given that it is December I think a 90 days in order because there's holidays in in breaks in between and we would have to expect our town employees to get there within 30 days. Agreed. Okay.

1854
03:00:05,620 --> 03:00:08,220
So the

1855
03:00:11,260 --> 03:00:38,580
ones that we would give 90-day licenses to, correct me if I'm wrong, would be Bolspit Brewery. Look at these splits, like new auto parts, CNS pizza and Camelot farms. Those five, we just issue for 90-day. I think we just received all the information on Bolspit, so they are current. Perfect. All right, so we can take Bolspit off that list.

1856
03:00:38,580 --> 03:00:44,280
so it would just be the four. Madam Chair. Yes. Is anybody or how many people are

1857
03:00:44,280 --> 03:00:49,760
living at Camelot Farms right now? I think we go to this every year and every

1858
03:00:49,760 --> 03:00:54,380
year, every 30 you know he has to come before the board. I was gonna suggest we

1859
03:00:54,380 --> 03:00:58,500
don't renew it but I don't want to make anybody homeless is my question. No it's

1860
03:00:58,500 --> 03:01:03,640
exactly the same thought. Which is why I would go to this every year. So what I would

1861
03:01:03,640 --> 03:01:26,120
I would like to do, I'd like, you know, the comment here, we knew it licensed for three months and the owner must attend the March meeting and satisfied usually out of the country or his representative, the manager with a viable plan to move forward.

1862
03:01:27,040 --> 03:01:32,180
I don't know how we would find out how many people are actually at that location right

1863
03:01:32,180 --> 03:01:38,960
now, but at the same time, like you said, give them notice, if you will.

1864
03:01:44,390 --> 03:01:49,330
So that being said, just to renew, it would be 90 days for lickety splits like new auto,

1865
03:01:49,730 --> 03:01:52,110
CNS pizza, and can't a lot of funds.

1866
03:01:52,990 --> 03:01:53,650
Madam Chair?

1867
03:01:53,830 --> 03:01:54,430
Yes, Mrs. Lisa.

1868
03:01:54,430 --> 03:01:59,030
I would like to make a motion for that 90 day notice.

1869
03:02:05,150 --> 03:02:11,410
I move the board of select will approve the renewal of the 2024 licenses as presented

1870
03:02:11,410 --> 03:02:22,990
this evening with the exception of the 90-day notices as mentioned previously and also to

1871
03:02:22,990 --> 03:02:31,710
Execute the Renewal Certification 2024 form for the alcoholic beverages control commission.

1872
03:02:32,270 --> 03:02:32,530
Second.

1873
03:02:34,210 --> 03:02:35,630
Any further discussion?

1874
03:02:37,250 --> 03:02:39,730
Seeing and hearing none, all in favor say aye.

1875
03:02:40,070 --> 03:02:40,310
Aye.

1876
03:02:41,590 --> 03:02:42,770
In the chair votes aye.

1877
03:02:43,290 --> 03:02:43,510
No.

1878
03:02:44,190 --> 03:02:44,970
And one no.

1879
03:02:45,170 --> 03:02:48,590
So it is four to one.

1880
03:02:48,590 --> 03:02:49,670
While

1881
03:02:52,810 --> 03:02:57,950
we're on the licenses, typically in the past acting we are the local licensing authority.

1882
03:02:58,490 --> 03:03:08,170
We extend the hours of operation for New Year's Eve, the section 12, which is the on-premise pouring liquor license.

1883
03:03:09,030 --> 03:03:14,250
To extend the hours until 2 a.m. is it the board's pleasure to do the same this year?

1884
03:03:16,430 --> 03:03:21,330
I'll make a motion to extend,

1885
03:03:24,020 --> 03:03:27,040
I'll extend the hours

1886
03:03:29,830 --> 03:03:36,090
of establishments on New Year's Eve to be open until 2 p.m. on New Year's Eve only.

1887
03:03:37,710 --> 03:03:39,470
2 a.m. on New Year's Day.

1888
03:03:40,410 --> 03:03:46,710
It says New Year's Eve, would it be days out of technicality two in the morning?

1889
03:03:47,330 --> 03:03:48,110
I do it this day.

1890
03:03:49,370 --> 03:03:49,530
Yeah.

1891
03:03:51,230 --> 03:03:52,690
Oh, I meant it to say day.

1892
03:03:53,070 --> 03:03:53,390
Second.

1893
03:03:53,930 --> 03:03:54,450
Thank you, Maiden.

1894
03:03:54,450 --> 03:03:54,750
Second.

1895
03:03:54,930 --> 03:03:55,530
I like that.

1896
03:03:56,090 --> 03:03:57,150
Because day is day.

1897
03:03:57,890 --> 03:03:58,430
Yeah, midnight.

1898
03:03:58,430 --> 03:03:59,230
It turns day.

1899
03:03:59,770 --> 03:04:01,690
But we've always said New Year's Eve.

1900
03:04:05,140 --> 03:04:06,000
It's really late.

1901
03:04:07,160 --> 03:04:08,760
Motion has been made in seconded.

1902
03:04:09,200 --> 03:04:10,200
Any further discussion?

1903
03:04:10,200 --> 03:04:12,720
All in favor say aye.

1904
03:04:13,420 --> 03:04:14,640
Chair votes aye.

1905
03:04:15,180 --> 03:04:16,280
Thank you very much.

1906
03:04:18,940 --> 03:04:24,560
New business, as we know, we did reach an agreement.

1907
03:04:25,000 --> 03:04:29,200
And as of November 28th, I think, 29th, 28th, I think.

1908
03:04:29,960 --> 03:04:30,920
Some were around there.

1909
03:04:31,040 --> 03:04:31,700
Some were around there.

1910
03:04:32,760 --> 03:04:37,520
You know, Bill and I executed his contract, so

1911
03:04:37,520 --> 03:04:42,260
And it was per the agreement that the board had made an executive session.

1912
03:04:42,840 --> 03:04:59,500
So I would like this evening is just a vote ratifying the agreement with ratifying the vote to hire Mr. McKinney as the town manager.

1913
03:05:00,040 --> 03:05:01,100
Mr. Ward.

1914
03:05:01,100 --> 03:05:10,200
Just a point on page five it says chair of the select board, and that's the only point that that's popped up.

1915
03:05:10,600 --> 03:05:14,300
It's been board of select control in the town said no to select board.

1916
03:05:14,640 --> 03:05:15,000
Okay.

1917
03:05:15,360 --> 03:05:17,060
So I've checked on page five.

1918
03:05:17,320 --> 03:05:18,580
Thank you.

1919
03:05:19,980 --> 03:05:21,660
I guess I'm interchangeably.

1920
03:05:24,190 --> 03:05:25,930
But your point is taken.

1921
03:05:27,330 --> 03:05:28,190
Madam Chair.

1922
03:05:28,530 --> 03:05:29,030
Mrs. Anderson.

1923
03:05:29,030 --> 03:05:33,130
I'd like to make a motion to ratify the town manager's contract.

1924
03:05:34,150 --> 03:05:34,990
Can I have a second?

1925
03:05:36,450 --> 03:05:37,530
Any further discussion?

1926
03:05:38,950 --> 03:05:40,230
Can I ask a question?

1927
03:05:40,350 --> 03:05:40,590
Yes.

1928
03:05:40,990 --> 03:05:43,390
Is it going to be posted on the website?

1929
03:05:44,890 --> 03:05:46,530
It should be, if it isn't already.

1930
03:05:47,290 --> 03:05:47,410
Yes.

1931
03:05:48,330 --> 03:05:50,470
We're just waiting for legal to sign it and return.

1932
03:05:50,610 --> 03:05:50,750
Right.

1933
03:05:50,950 --> 03:05:52,050
It's going to be uploaded still.

1934
03:05:52,150 --> 03:05:54,970
But it had to be ratified, so just to make sure,

1935
03:05:55,470 --> 03:05:57,010
because people will be interested.

1936
03:05:57,610 --> 03:05:58,050
Perfect.

1937
03:06:01,390 --> 03:06:03,050
That's okay, come to the mic, please.

1938
03:06:08,380 --> 03:06:14,340
Yeah, I was just wondering because back in November, when you made this decision and talked about it,

1939
03:06:14,840 --> 03:06:22,140
I don't know if it's part of the contract or if it's part of something else that you were saying that you recognize that Mr.

1940
03:06:22,240 --> 03:06:30,880
McKinney has a non-traditional background, and that there are areas in the town manager position that you need to make sure he learns.

1941
03:06:31,460 --> 03:06:37,420
You know, I do you were talking about this like a town manager boot camp or something, but you said as part of your negotiations

1942
03:06:37,420 --> 03:06:44,320
You would put in some performance expectations highlighting the areas that you feel he needs to focus on before it's coming.

1943
03:06:44,920 --> 03:06:46,220
So that's going to happen.

1944
03:06:46,280 --> 03:06:46,980
Oh, yes.

1945
03:06:47,180 --> 03:06:48,180
Oh, no, no, I just wanted to.

1946
03:06:48,540 --> 03:06:49,580
No, I appreciate it.

1947
03:06:49,680 --> 03:06:50,200
No, thank you.

1948
03:06:50,300 --> 03:06:51,780
Yeah. You're welcome, Jane.

1949
03:06:53,920 --> 03:06:55,160
So it's been made a seconded.

1950
03:06:55,960 --> 03:06:56,180
Yeah.

1951
03:06:56,180 --> 03:06:57,180
All right.

1952
03:06:58,740 --> 03:06:59,560
Chair votes aye.

1953
03:07:02,240 --> 03:07:03,440
7.2.

1954
03:07:03,820 --> 03:07:07,400
This was brought to me by the town manager's office.

1955
03:07:07,980 --> 03:07:15,660
They had a request for flying a flag by a private organization on town-owned flag poles.

1956
03:07:16,380 --> 03:07:23,360
So I wanted to bring this before the board, so on town-owned flag poles or hang a flag at

1957
03:07:23,360 --> 03:07:23,900
town hall.

1958
03:07:26,220 --> 03:07:28,860
On any of the town-owned flag balls.

1959
03:07:30,560 --> 03:07:32,400
And who is the private organization?

1960
03:07:34,020 --> 03:07:35,620
It's a pro-life organization.

1961
03:07:36,380 --> 03:07:38,300
I know they wanted to fly a pro-life flag.

1962
03:07:39,760 --> 03:07:42,920
And so we have no specific policy.

1963
03:07:43,540 --> 03:07:45,100
So I was hoping that we could adopt policy.

1964
03:07:46,900 --> 03:07:48,920
To hang a flag on our poles.

1965
03:07:49,140 --> 03:07:50,920
Did you look at it in the drop box?

1966
03:07:51,040 --> 03:07:51,560
I did not.

1967
03:07:51,560 --> 03:07:54,580
A suggested policy is keeping its own governmental interests.

1968
03:07:55,080 --> 03:08:00,840
Yeah, it's always been just the U.S. flag or the state flag, okay?

1969
03:08:01,380 --> 03:08:01,480
Yeah.

1970
03:08:01,660 --> 03:08:03,740
But it would be good to have a formal policy here.

1971
03:08:03,740 --> 03:08:04,100
Absolutely.

1972
03:08:04,340 --> 03:08:04,800
Just clearing that.

1973
03:08:05,240 --> 03:08:05,380
Right.

1974
03:08:06,780 --> 03:08:07,060
Okay.

1975
03:08:08,580 --> 03:08:10,080
Any questions or comments on this?

1976
03:08:10,940 --> 03:08:12,240
No, I would just take out.

1977
03:08:12,440 --> 03:08:16,180
I like this because I think we should only have these flags up.

1978
03:08:16,640 --> 03:08:20,400
But I would take out a official flag of the town of Winchland, we don't have it.

1979
03:08:20,400 --> 03:08:22,920
It's hanging in the Boston State House, I found it.

1980
03:08:23,200 --> 03:08:23,340
Really?

1981
03:08:23,800 --> 03:08:24,440
Yes, sir.

1982
03:08:25,980 --> 03:08:28,180
Oh, we'll have to get one and get it off from right here.

1983
03:08:28,580 --> 03:08:29,440
I did, I found it.

1984
03:08:29,560 --> 03:08:31,560
Took me a long time because they got them all hanging down

1985
03:08:31,560 --> 03:08:31,920
in their issue.

1986
03:08:31,920 --> 03:08:33,160
It's not alphabetical, is it?

1987
03:08:33,380 --> 03:08:33,920
I think it's...

1988
03:08:33,920 --> 03:08:35,300
It is not alphabetical.

1989
03:08:35,440 --> 03:08:37,380
There's only three of us going to be bonding.

1990
03:08:37,660 --> 03:08:38,660
The date it was founded.

1991
03:08:38,760 --> 03:08:39,280
Oh, my God.

1992
03:08:39,620 --> 03:08:41,820
And we're like up on the third floor.

1993
03:08:42,180 --> 03:08:42,420
Yeah.

1994
03:08:42,680 --> 03:08:43,320
Looking out the window.

1995
03:08:43,580 --> 03:08:44,200
Okay, that's cool.

1996
03:08:45,440 --> 03:08:49,140
But I would like to adopt this with the changes for when she did.

1997
03:08:49,140 --> 03:08:50,860
and just the way it is.

1998
03:08:51,000 --> 03:08:52,220
You don't want it to say Clarksburg?

1999
03:08:52,900 --> 03:08:54,020
I don't want it to say Clarksburg.

2000
03:08:55,800 --> 03:08:56,200
No.

2001
03:08:56,760 --> 03:09:00,380
And this policy would go into where?

2002
03:09:00,660 --> 03:09:01,980
The Board of Selecting Policy.

2003
03:09:01,980 --> 03:09:03,980
Board of Selecting Policy is a procedure, yes.

2004
03:09:04,300 --> 03:09:06,300
This would be part of our policy.

2005
03:09:06,400 --> 03:09:07,840
Yeah, we just adopted on the state.

2006
03:09:08,380 --> 03:09:08,560
OK.

2007
03:09:10,280 --> 03:09:10,660
Yep.

2008
03:09:11,120 --> 03:09:14,960
And I would just like to point out what flags we're talking about.

2009
03:09:15,040 --> 03:09:15,940
I would like to do that, yes.

2010
03:09:16,380 --> 03:09:16,820
Thank you.

2011
03:09:16,820 --> 03:09:21,480
The official flag of the United States of America, the official flag of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

2012
03:09:21,960 --> 03:09:25,340
I guess the official flag of the town of Winshund in, if there is such a thing.

2013
03:09:25,480 --> 03:09:26,620
There is at the state house.

2014
03:09:26,620 --> 03:09:31,340
The official flags of the various branches of military services of the United States of America

2015
03:09:31,340 --> 03:09:34,960
and or the official MIA POW flag.

2016
03:09:35,280 --> 03:09:39,040
Those flags would be the only ones allowed on town flag poles.

2017
03:09:39,860 --> 03:09:40,220
That's perfect.

2018
03:09:40,480 --> 03:09:40,780
Thank you.

2019
03:09:40,900 --> 03:09:41,780
Is that a motion, Mr. Moore?

2020
03:09:41,880 --> 03:09:42,020
Yes, a motion.

2021
03:09:42,360 --> 03:09:45,820
It sounded like a second, made and seconded to adopt the policy.

2022
03:09:45,820 --> 03:09:46,800
any further discussion?

2023
03:09:48,260 --> 03:09:49,620
All in favor say aye.

2024
03:09:50,000 --> 03:09:51,160
Chair votes aye.

2025
03:09:52,380 --> 03:09:53,120
Thank you for that.

2026
03:09:54,460 --> 03:09:55,560
No all business.

2027
03:09:55,980 --> 03:09:57,360
No time managers report this evening.

2028
03:09:57,540 --> 03:09:59,460
We have two sets of minutes.

2029
03:10:02,200 --> 03:10:03,780
I did go over them earlier.

2030
03:10:03,780 --> 03:10:07,240
The first is October 10, 2023.

2031
03:10:07,780 --> 03:10:08,300
I'll

2032
03:10:11,180 --> 03:10:12,860
give you a moment to look at them

2033
03:10:12,860 --> 03:10:14,680
or when you're everyone's ready.

2034
03:10:14,860 --> 03:10:15,500
I'll take a motion.

2035
03:10:15,960 --> 03:10:16,380
Madam Chair.

2036
03:10:16,380 --> 03:10:17,240
Mr. Ward.

2037
03:10:17,480 --> 03:10:26,760
I move to approve the Board of Selectman meetings from minutes from August, October 10, 2023 as presented this evening.

2038
03:10:26,900 --> 03:10:27,120
Second.

2039
03:10:27,820 --> 03:10:29,540
Thank you, any further discussion?

2040
03:10:30,780 --> 03:10:32,360
All in favor say aye.

2041
03:10:32,700 --> 03:10:33,000
Aye.

2042
03:10:37,360 --> 03:10:38,460
And the Chair votes aye.

2043
03:10:39,060 --> 03:10:41,680
Then we have October 23, 2023.

2044
03:10:42,060 --> 03:10:42,520
Madam Chair.

2045
03:10:42,800 --> 03:10:43,340
Mr. Ward.

2046
03:10:43,580 --> 03:10:49,320
I move to approve the Board of Selectman minutes meeting of October 23, 2023.

2047
03:10:49,320 --> 03:10:51,100
20-23 has presented this evening.

2048
03:10:51,380 --> 03:10:51,680
Second.

2049
03:10:52,400 --> 03:10:53,600
Thank you, any further discussion?

2050
03:10:54,520 --> 03:10:55,680
All in favor say aye.

2051
03:10:56,080 --> 03:10:56,300
Aye.

2052
03:10:56,660 --> 03:10:57,600
Chair votes aye.

2053
03:10:58,240 --> 03:10:59,380
One last question.

2054
03:10:59,680 --> 03:11:02,860
Are we going to our next official meeting is Christmas.

2055
03:11:03,220 --> 03:11:06,100
So are we going to move it to the following Tuesday?

2056
03:11:06,780 --> 03:11:09,340
What is the Board's pleasure as far as another meeting in December?

2057
03:11:09,700 --> 03:11:12,660
I will like me to be out of town, but if there's a quorum,

2058
03:11:12,800 --> 03:11:13,740
and I miss it, that's fine.

2059
03:11:13,800 --> 03:11:15,500
I prefer we wait till after the new year.

2060
03:11:17,640 --> 03:11:19,960
I'm not going to be able to attend to that new year.

2061
03:11:24,640 --> 03:11:25,160
All right,

2062
03:11:27,900 --> 03:11:47,020
so I would say we will not hold an official meeting until our next meeting, which would be January 9th, 2024, in the event that something comes up and we need to, we will certainly call a meeting and address anything that needs to be done.

2063
03:11:47,020 --> 03:11:50,160
All right, motion to adjourn.

2064
03:11:51,460 --> 03:11:51,980
Second.

2065
03:11:53,440 --> 03:11:54,280
Any further discussion?

2066
03:11:55,120 --> 03:11:56,400
All in favor say aye.

2067
03:11:56,600 --> 03:11:56,780
Aye.

2068
03:11:57,100 --> 03:11:57,700
Chair votes aye.

2069
03:11:57,840 --> 03:11:59,060
We're adjourned at 10-11.