Community Preservation Committee - Regular Meeting

I'll call the meeting to order. Um, did people have a chance to review? We had couple of minutes, two or three, I believe. and one set that we thought we had approved last month, we really didn't approve because they weren't in the packet. So, that's if you notice that they're they're back and they're not in the minutes saying we approved them because really I move we accept minutes from May 22nd, 2025, December 10th, 2025, and January 24th, 2026.

Second. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion here? Hearing none. All those in favor? All those opposed? No opposition. That declare the motion carried unanimously. Um, do you want to start so you can go home? We'll skip right to you if you're ready. Sorry. Yes. Fiona Longest drive. Fiona has two um warn articles that or two applications that aren't foreign articles yet that she's I don't know how to work anything

is the the video guy we got a video guy right here. Yeah, there's somebody back there. Uh I'm not sure with the new room. Yeah, I think that remote should be hooked up to everything. Welcome. This is Fiona. Hi everyone. D Martino. D Martino. We gota get used to saying it. Slightly new name. Yes. Yes. Very not slightly very much a new last name. So sorry. Bear with me for a second. Um I'm seeing you all. Thanks for having me.

So she has two I'll kind of briefly summarize while she's um setting up two war article. Keep saying that. Two um projects. Um one uh ties in nicely with or maybe it's because of the the land purchase that we made um along the Blackstone River on Providence Road in South Craftton that this is u a feasibility study.

Yes. to help connect we're trying to connect Worcester to Providence the bike hike and bike trail and that that um this that project is to help develop those plans for that at least that section in Grafton that we uh and then other pieces that that can reasonably uh connect with um Worcester because it goes Milbury I don't know how far Milbury so goes into Rhode Island right Yes. Yes. All the way to the end of the day. Yeah. It's part of um that where our gap Blackstone Valley little gap is what we're focusing on tonight. But does that remote have a

flagstone valley greenway? Is that what they call it? Something like that. Yes. We've been using kind of bikeway and greenway interchangeably. Um it' be awesome to connect. I can just Okay. Okay.

Thank you all very much for having me. I think I know pretty much everyone very well. Um my name is Martino. Um for those of you who don't know me, I am the director of planning development for town. Um I have uh been working very closely with a number of organizations on this particular project, most notably the Blackstone corridor as sustainable um and variety of other folks. There should be letters of support submitted with the application in the record um which I can talk about a little bit later. So I'm just going to start by giving an overview. John did a pretty good job of summarizing the key points, but so um the Box River Bike Greenway has been an effort that has been underway uh for many many years. I think I found documents dating back to 84. So, this is a big big deal, big project. Um, the greenway extends I think it's part of a large actually it's part of a larger um network and I might ask Donna to help help me out with this one, but there there's a larger um bikeway network that extends actually from Maine all the way through to Rhode Island. The Blackstone uh bike way is a part of that. Um but this but what we're focusing on today as I mentioned is segment of the the bike way which will be connecting down and completing at least a portion of the Massachusetts side of things. So Rhode Island is pretty advanced. they are pretty much done. I believe um Massachusetts is a little bit slower to catch up on this effort, but I will say that this is a local, regional, and

federal priority. Um there's actually some national park recognition for this project that I've seen in prior in my research. Um we thought this was an ideal time to bring this to CPC because uh the town has acquired recently um three parcels on Proidence Road, so 324, 334, 380 Pro Road. Um, so we're hoping with the acquisition of those parcels in conjunction with the new bike lanes that have been um the relatively new bike lanes that have been installed along 122 that we can create an onroad and off-road um opportunity for users that will complete our segment. So there's been um significant work done to date of numerous amount of planning um planning and studies have been done ranging from CMRPC regional bike plan to the um the bike blackstone river bikeway report that was completed by O'Neal in 2017. That plan is the most comprehensive and indepth analysis of Grafton's segment uh to date. So, we're hoping that um building on all of these efforts that have been done, we have a good foundation um to be able to tee up a feasibility study. Now, we have we have some new land, we have bike lanes, we have the support um through our letters, and we have prior planning efforts and data to lean on that we can use to really create something amazing and really get this done. So, um obviously I think everyone here knows the benefits of this type of project. Um obvious health um and quality of life improvements as well as environmental and just general safety um improvements for people who want to um pursue outdoor

uh recreational active and passive recreation. Um obviously there's uh also some ecoourism benefits um ecoourism benefits to the project as well um really trying to capitalize on beautiful assets um particularly in South B and really um work with the land trust as well as some other partners to um to create a cohesive connection. So the scope of work so we are planning to do so uh the goal is We were awarded um the Mass Trails grant um which I did submit a capital request to fill in that gap should we not get the grant. Um and with that potentially CPA funds and a contribution from the Heritage Corridor. Thank you heritage corridor for that. Um we are hoping to fund um an RFP for feasibility study and concept plans that will um evaluate different alignments and opportunities. So the goal would be evaluate the previous work that I was explaining. Um conduct surveys and put some preliminary permitting, some wetland delineation work. Uh most likely um conduct a community engagement um effort that will uh incorporate more voices and have just a renewed and reinvigorated um feedback as part of this process. making sure that we're being as accessible as we possibly can and incorporating um all types of users uh for for the potential um final construction to be obviously way down the line. But um that's the point. So um you know the goal of the feasibility study as with most feasibility studies is to uh pinpoint um constraints and opportunities. um you know there'll be some probably sophisticated environmental um analysis that needs to be done

especially on those um newly acquired parcels along Providence Road. So just examining um you know wetland crossings and what's needed to make sure that um we can capitalize on um you know maybe areas that are not as lying or there's less grade changes or things of that nature. So really trying to pinpoint um the best way to um bridge this. So from all of that analysis, we would move into determining feasible alignments. We were envisioning probably three solutions. Um maybe we might have more. Um that would be great. Uh but you know, we're thinking of scoping out should everything work out. you know in the consulting firm that examines three uh three alignment opportunities that um and also that with an accompanying cost of magnitude or some sort of cost analysis so that we can compare options A C let's just call for now the town can determine how they want to move forward based on cost um so conceptual uh designs and plans would accompany uh study. Uh it's similar the town has done similar work in this regard. It would be higher level kind of design permitting documents. Definitely not um ready for filing with concom. But just to be able to have um some preliminary planning work done um would be amazing. Um so from there those would be the final deliverables. would be the study um three kind of preferred alignments with costs associated with each um and then some design plans and then the goal is to inform you know the next steps and get this get this done. So um our budget

so the total cost of the project um I did analysis and some comparisons for similar projects and we came up uh with a budget a total project cost of 500. So I applied for a Mass Trails grant. We should be hearing back about that grant by July 1. Um, that grant request was for 75,000. So I'm here before you tonight to request 15,000 CPA funds and as I mentioned, we've secured 3500 from the Heritage Corridor. I did submit a capital request for 75,000 if we don't get the mass trails grant um because I know this is

such a huge priority for the town and um for our department and for um our elected representatives as well. So we really want to do everything we can to make it possible but would love and quite frankly need CPA support. So um the timeline for the sorry to not cut you off but I don't want to roll Go go go go go.

Um instead of banking on the vast trails and banking on the alternative of capital which I don't know how competitive that is. Would you not rather I mean I would recommend that you apply for everything but the 3500 from us. I mean, we can discuss that and then our money is last. So that if if you get that grant or if you still would do your other your alternative options because that's our goal is to to leverage dollars. But I I would hate for you to get our money, the quarter's money, and then the grant to fall through and then the capital budget. then you're you

right you're still starting from scratch and again there is money available we have money we have a million dollars so well that's great so I would I'm just saying that as you're looking on the bright side but you're also just in case yes no so that if the money were available somewhere else you wouldn't spend our money you would only spend the Can you ask for? Sure. So I guess I would ask so in the so we did get the max trails grant but we're awarded again it's like that's that's why you're asking for the full ask you're you're requesting the full amount

and that whatever if they give you 50,000 instead of 75 then you still have that cushion from us. Great. Yeah. I can amend Yeah. And that's that's why we meet this month. Sure. And again next month so that if there are things that need to be adjusted, you can do that. And this is just a dollar amount adjustment. That's all. Okay, great. Yeah, that was great. I I was Sorry. Go ahead with your timeline, but I kind of I should have waited, but No, no, I tend to forget stuff, so I wanted to get that out, but

No, cut me off, please. I said that I ramble. So, um, that's great to know and I think we would definitely be interested in taking advantage of that option and I can submit a formal request and because you did it online, I think it's very easy from because we had a problem with Skip trying to do one for the fire station because he didn't do it through the he did it online but it wasn't through an account. So, he had to completely redo it if because I'm sure you have an account. Yes. All you do is you just go right back in and you change whatever little numbers and that's it. And then it repopulates from Okay, great. So I can just So you don't have to go from scratch.

Yeah, we can. Yeah, I can have any we can thank Colleen for that. So okay well that's really that's really great to know. Um and yeah, I wasn't sure what you know just trying to be about. You got to ask.

You got to ask. I know. I gota be a little bit more, you know, little bit more aggressive, I think. But I'm glad that you told me that. So that's that's helpful to know. So that um uh I will just give a brief overview of so the scope for the actual consultant team would be um broken down into a few key tasks. It would be surveying, design services, permitting services, structural and geotech, due diligence and then um standard kind of meeting line item that you have in every budget that involves outreach and then some and then a small line item for miscellaneous miscellaneous expenses. So we're you know I was kind of forming everything around the mass trails as so we were having a projected start date of uh early July of this year. and that grant ends on June 30th 2027. So we would have a year to complete the work. Um so that you know that it's not a it's all it's all based on the mass trails but um that can be probably some flexibility there if there's alternative you know methods funds. Um, so I just wanted to speak about the consistency with CPA. Um, the project I know probably pretty much a no-brainer to all of you, but um just uh qualifying under um we believe the create and preserve criteria. Um this will inform future uh implementation efforts um that incorporate kind of more thoughtful and responsible costbenefit analysis to inform future recreation um and open space uh enjoyment. So uh it forwards passive and act active recreation at the local and regional um level. Um it

focuses on outdoor land based activities. Um incorporates a shared vision for the Blackstone River and and the people, communities, businesses, and landscapes along it. Um it implements goals and strategies and prior planning efforts that have been conducted over the past 30 plus years. Um so we would really be looking closely um at making sure those um you know those priorities are uh incorporated as well as new priorities from our engagement efforts. Um the new opportunities will minimize uh the need to use private property and secure easements or any sort of um land agreements with private property owners which makes them significantly easier um obviously um in terms of getting the project um done. Uh it's an economic and environmental win for South Grafton which is an environmental justice area and um an area that we really been trying to focus on investment in lately. So, um, that's a really positive point. So, and then it fosters long longstanding community partnerships with nonprofit groups and key players that the town has been working with for many years. The heritage corridor obviously being one, the Blackstone Collaborative, um, the Sustainable Grapt, which is fairly new group, but um, they're very involved and the new trails committee is very um, has been a really strong supporter of the project as well.

Um, and kind of re um incorporates reinvigorated engagement opportunities and then promotes accessibility and multimodal transportation options and connectivities. So with that I am happy to answer any questions that you have. Sorry for rambling. I do that any questions from the committee. So part of this project is to figure out where the trail will come in.

Yes. trying to examine um preferred alignments based on the new acquisition of those three parcels and bike lanes. So I mean we fairly confident that the bike lanes will will be used and just how the alignment continues through the offro aspects the remaining piece there would be so the northridge piece isn't done but the Sutton side is

the Sutton side is connected um by bike lanes and then the proposed I mean this is all this could change but Um so the the thought process was to connect through um either Mil Park or um I think 60 63 main streets following the canal or following the natural flow of the river through south. Um there's a Grafton Land Trust property did secure paperwork from um the Grafton Land Trust signing off. Um this was part of the mass trails application but um agreeing to um you know they were in favor and and agreeing to allow us to to study their their land and that would connect to the other now parcels. Another thing I just reviewed the budget that we typically Jim Gallagher would be the one that would say what about your contingency, you know, to build in a 10 to 15% contingency just in case. Do you are your numbers solid enough or do you feel like that you need because again we don't want you to get into the middle of a project and then have to slam on the brakes because you run out of funds,

right? Yeah. Sorry. I I probably I don't know if I fully understood that when I was filling it out. Um, so I didn't factor in, but it's like people would just say I don't know if that's an option on there just to say contingency X dollars because before people would we would at this point say have you considered contingency? you know that that's because we've had problems in the past where they they bump up against okay prices and that we do not want to hamstring a project

would that really apply in this in a feasibility study has to go out to bid right this is these aren't yeah use the RFP it would be it would for bids but this is what it this is what the consultant would bid on and so that's that's what you And if you can't do it, then they won't b it. That's that's I'm just saying I just want to throw that out there just to make sure that that you have everything covered financially for this. Sure. Doesn't hurt to have it. Yeah. So I I Yeah. So I I'll need to factor I'll probably need to factor in I don't want it to increase the cost of the consultant because they know that there's extra money because if it's

you know. Right. Right. So Right. So for the RFP process, you know, we have, you know, you have your number and then they have to come in fit under that number. So if you you could do an RFP that would say whatever your 93 three that you could say still 953. But no, you still have $15,000 from us that could go towards contingency costs if you had problem or something. Right. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. All right. So, I can I just don't want to make it be a, you know, because a lot of those looks like, well, we'll go for the whole thing. They don't go for

75 because they can get 93. Yeah, I I agree with you, John. I think that having that backup makes makes a lot of sense. I I haven't with the consultants that I've worked with and we've done RFPs that usually like we're pretty strict about, okay, stay stay within the budget, stay on schedule, etc. But yeah, I mean sometimes there's realities in the field and yeah, we don't know what the new parcels some of the challenges they may pose. Um, so probably a good I can make that to think about. Yes, thank you. Um, that's helpful, Kristen.

Um, so at this point is from what I heard you saying the majority will be onroad bike lanes or sheros. the majority will probably be um off road. Um I the actual division um I don't know off the top of my head but um the bike the bike lanes will basically will take us from the Sutton Grafton Town line through to Fischerville Mill um and then the remainder is off road and I think it would probably be if I'm speaking probably turn um the I want to say it's like a 70% off road 30% off. Okay.

But could be um could be off there too. But like that's what I'm that's what we were thinking. And then I've seen uh from past work that was typically what was envisioned um prioring efforts. Okay. And then as far as easements, do you know approximately like how many you would have to obtain or? No, not at this time. Okay. Any other questions? Jack. I just want to say quickly um if we did kind of cut out the capital budget

pro prospect of it and you just asked for 90 from us that would be the 75 that would have been the capital and then the 15 still for contingency. The only concern would be if it were to get voted down at town meeting, which I don't I doubt, but I still think that that is a good idea and we should do that because we have the money to do so. And it's I feel it's kind of the reason this board is here is to fund something. We want to have a successful project. Yeah. And a project isn't successful if you have to stop in the middle of your project. Sure. Yeah. Okay. Perfect. Yeah, that makes sense.

And we've gone back to town meeting to give other grant requesters additional funds because they did run out of money or all the bids came in significantly lower. So it's it's not it has happened before and at town meeting they have approved it so it has not been a problem. Okay, great.

Ken, I was just wondering um if you have any thoughts about what type of trail surface you contemplate for the off-road segments. Not at this point. I We It would need to be fully accessible and I know that we um it would need to be paved most likely. Um

uh but you know, I think that we can there's great we can we can kind of continue to have that discussion and see what what comes out of the study. But we do mass trails does require fully accessible trails. Donna, so you want to come up

and while you're doing that, I want to I will also ask because I brought it up I think last month when you weren't here. Donna might have some inro this as well that Millie Bean saved what was called a pony trust bridge from Bergam Hill Road that's supposedly at Dolphin A Park in Southampton and if it's not a rust tile was supposed to be for this very project 50 years you know not that 30 30

I have never seen it um but I don't have you heard that story but she made the town save it when they rebuilt that little bridge, you know, just around up the hill from us. So again, that's hopefully when this gets done, if it's still there, that that could get incorporated

somewhere over the black zone or a creek called the Millie Breen Milling Bean Bridge. Well, this is so encouraging to hear your thinking and a great idea to basically ask for the whole thing just in case. So, that's terrific. But as far as materials that this off-road um portion would be, DCR will be building this, not us. So, they have standards obviously for bikeways. Well, called the bikeway greenway. In Rhode Island, the term is a bikeway and they have certain standards to build these in Rhode Island. In Massachusetts, they're do standards and it's called a greenway because it's a little less intrusive than the Rhode Island ones. Rhode Island is kind of like, you know, a highway and so the Massachusetts ones are a little not

you know pavement wise but um they have different standards so but it would be DCR that would do this okay thank you anybody else more questions okay I sure sorry

um we're delighted with this development um the Blackstone Heritage Quarter. I've been on the board for 30 years and um this this project has been at least 30 years. You said 84, yeah, more than 30 years in the in the making. Um Rhode Island really jumped ahead and they I think 13 miles and it's fabulous. So Massachusetts had six miles of this bike wave. Worcester Milbury um kind of with the road that goes to the shops, the shops and then in South Oxbridge it goes to the one socket line. So we've got those six miles but it's the 17 miles in between the gap and so it it's been sleeping for a long time but because the town has bought purchased the property the 41 acres property and then um made the wonderful bike lane on Main Street but just kind of rethought it. We thought everything had to be off road and that expense is crazy but we had a a meeting with Ana Wjinski who is the um heritage quarter executive director and Emory and and Evan and And we just started looking at our the map and we said, "Oh, we could do this in a in a more expeditious manner." And what's so cool about this is we can just get the ball rolling here in Grafton and then Sutton will see what we're doing and Milbury will see what we're doing

and Northbridge and Oxbridge. So we feel like we can really lead the charge here and get get it done. Our mantra is get it done by 31. But um anyway, so this is terrific and we thank you for support. That's good. And the way station could be the old aguay on that doesn't have a roof, but it's right by Mill Villages Park and it that would be a wonderful big open space for something that would be bicycle rentals and sandwich shop. Who knows? But again,

it's it's ready to be utilized and this would be a good incentive to for someone to do. Thank you. Is the greenway challenge like do they go and utilize some of the trails down in that Rhode Island area with that? Are you familiar with the greenway challenge? I'm very familiar with it although I haven't been The coroner doesn't sponsor it anymore. Okay. But yes, the answer is yes, they do. Okay.

But the pan mass challenge is coming through. So this is a great time to highlight all of this. Okay. I think you have Amory. Sure.

I'm sorry I was late. Um so you might have already said a couple of these things but uh one thing relative to North Bridges when we met with Anya initially, Donna, myself and Anya um she indicated that North Bridge also has some positive momentum already um with respect to their section. Um so they're already looking at it and there's some some movement there. So, some movement in Grafton would certainly be beneficial in terms of um getting it going. But, um I'm here Amry Foley, sorry, 45 South Street. I'm the chair of the sustainable grafting committee, which has been in um existence since I think like 2019. And, uh I don't know if you guys got the letter of support that we sent. Okay, great. So, you pretty much read what I said there. Um but just to kind of highlight, you know, even economic benefits um to having a bike path or greenway coming through your community is really pretty phenomenal. I don't know if you familiar with any of other communities that have such a thing, but you know, people stop by and have breakfast somewhere or, you know, uh stop at Cumbies and get something. So there's that bringing people through our community. Um my understanding too from our initial meeting with Anya um was that there's a lot of support through DCR for this project to get this going as well as the corridor. Um so it's just a matter of jumpstarting it and then there are a lot of folks in the back end that have been looking at this for 30 years wondering you know when can we actually get this done. Um, so Sustainable Grafton is is wholly in support of this for all of the the things that we stand for, you know, open space, getting people outside, exercising, um, enjoying nature, and then coupled with the the history of the river, the canal, etc., and having folks have an opportunity to go down there and check that out is just phenomenal. And it just so happened unrelated to this was that we we bought those parcels in this in proximity to this. So we could potentially utilize that space to kind of go off road there. And then just

lastly again if you already read my letter then you know what I said but um the pan mass challenge is in fact coming right through almost the route. Obviously, it's on road entirely, but um the project that went through Main Street in South Grafton is going to be hugely beneficial because it takes a big chunk of this off of, you know, the payroll in in terms of um getting this to fruition. Uh but it'll be a great opportunity for the town. If we were to get the grant andor if we were to get something um through town meeting and then the PMC comes through the beginning of August, it would be kind of cool to kind of get some momentum rolling. Um and and so and just to to say I really appreciate uh you guys mentioning that you know the option of just going for the entire amount and then hoping that we still get the grant. I think that that's wonderful to hear your support in that respect. So thanks

questions

Donna one thing I forgot to mention the heritage corridor has um a fundraising campaign. It's called our legacy campaign and the top priority of the campaign, it's a $1.3 million campaign is um advocacy advocating for the completion of the bikeway greenway. So, we're working hard on it and actually we've just hired a recreation specialist who will really help with this project and also working on trails and paddling and river access and all of that. So, um the quarter is grateful for this. Thanks.

Thank you, Roger.

Roger. and four up and road chair of accessibility advisory commission. Uh one of the things we do in advance of town meeting is uh look at the warrant articles where there may be an accessibility component and here is exactly one and it's not only to refurbish um spaces but to enhance and expand uh accessible recreational opportunities. So, uh, hoping that CPC advances this to town meeting and I'll be in and presuming it does, uh, I'll be putting it on accessibility advisory commission agenda to weigh in on it for town meeting. So, thank you.

And I'm sure given that it's DCR that all those things would be factored into it. So, that should one one more, right? Yeah. Pile up the endorsements. All right. Okay. No more questions for that project. You had a second application. I did. Um and I So uh spoke with John. I not uh entirely sure how um applicable this is to CPA funds, but I can give the the spiel and we can talk.

Okay. Okay. So um the second request that I submitted was for um a uh basically it's going to be an education and advocacy campaign for um in conjunction with Mass Bike um to focus on um bicycle education and I'm all about bikes tonight but uh so we um my office did apply um for a micro projects grant through um the CM They're called the central mass um metropolitan planning organization. They do a lot of major um transportation based uh projects um from larger scale um highway improvements to um last mile solutions which is this is a little bit more in that in that bail. So um the you know the goal of uh this campaign with mass bike would be to build safe safer more connected community um gather data from specific um participants in those events uh to uh to basically inform future infrastructure improvements and general mobility across town does have a 2016 bike plan since that plan has been adopted. Uh there's been not as much progress as we'd like to see. So you know obviously the bike lanes um along Main Street and South African are a huge feat and that was a really collaborate a collaborative effort with mass DOT, but we're hoping to expand on that and we're hoping that through projects and um efforts such as this, we can get the information that we need and kind of build support. So, we are focused on expanding equitable mobility options, improving um health, air quality, and quality of life, similar kind of what we were speaking um about the prior application, and then again laying the groundwork for

long-term infrastructure improvements. So, Massike is an organization that is well versed in these types of um educational campaigns. They did recently do a pilot in Worcester um between 2022 and 2025 where they worked closely with staff and board members and members of the community there to basically have fun, cool, inclusive events where um folks gather and they do group rides, they do bike tuneups, they do just kind of general education, what we need to know and how to kind of improve the public the public for riders of all ages and abilities. So, um we really modeled um this scope of work off of the campaign that they did for that pilot. Um so, you know, the goal is to be inclusive and fun um through clinics, pop-ups, group rides, and safety trainings. Um we would like to have it across Grafton um in North Central and South um so that we're kind of reaching as many folks as possible. Uh the focus would be on equity and engaging our underserved populations. Um And then uh leveraging community resources. Um the ask is relatively small because we can leverage the uh great knowledge of of Mass Bike and then they have equipment and volunteers and outreach materials and things like that that we can really work together on and of course my office would help in that um with producing any additional materials that they needed. Um and then what we'd like to also focus on is making grafting more accessible and safe. um kind of improving um disability accommodations and um and just kind of generally being um just safer place to enjoy this type of recreation um and gather and and be able to just ride freely and not rely on your single occupancy vehicle all the time. Um so the group rides would be probably the

main focus of the scope. Um we would be working closely with Grafton police on any details for safety uh safety purposes um as well as any other um kind of key players and stakeholders uh to make that possible. Um the data collection would focus on trips and usage tracking. Um we would be uh focusing really on total miles written overall usage obviously number of trips and then trip purpose and the mode that's replaced. So they have specific metrics that um mass bike and the CMP use to um analyze this data and kind of you know translated into you know numbers more or less. Um so the all data collection also includes emissions impact calculating CO2 reductions using the um EPA's estimates and then again converting miles written into measurable emission savings. Um we also will be um focusing on health benefits. So calculating active minutes based on miles ridden times 12 miles hour is the average ebike speed I learned. Um and lastly cost savings which is obviously a huge data point that is of interest to folks. So kind of estimate household savings from miles that are replacing vehicle trips times local fuel costs. um the budget uh that we are requesting um we are requesting $5,600 of CPA funds for this effort. Um I will be providing a 22% um staff hours in kind match for this um that will be just my staff time as well as um mass bike will be contributing their time in yes contributing their based on their hourly rate. Um, and then advertising and outreach is going to be a huge piece

of this. So, we did factor in a line item for that. And then miscellaneous expenses. So, brings us to um the total cost of the whole effort will be $7,161.60. Um, the inind contribution for myself will be $1,561. And then the grant that we're asking for is uh 5,600. So, you know, I I realize that this might not be meeting the criteria of of CPA in a way that I originally thought, but um you know and I understand that and I'm happy to you know

my concern is like when I I kind of put it in pretty simple language. It's either feasibility or bricks and mortar. And there's a little matrix that the coalition has. And this would be technically what they call support. And support is only allowed for affordable housing. Whereas we could that's like all the funds that you use for the affordable housing trust that they can pay lawyers if you have lawyer fees or we could pay staff fees. But for recreation, historic preservation and open space support is not allowed.

Okay. And so right you can like compensate that's so I mean then that's if anybody else wants to comment is that the understanding. So when I'm reading this it also says it's like hosting um recreation type events. So I guess it's great enough for me that I'd like to reach out to Stuart and ask just to confirm. It's not that great. I think it's it's support. That's my because when I first saw this, I mean I familiar with the matrix, but we've reached out for No, I don't have a problem. I don't see that. I mean, that's the purpose again of this meeting is to have questions

that we come back and hopefully get answered at the next meeting. So, I I definitely don't have I have no problem asking for his on the CPA is very uh land and property focused particularly in in all of it and so it's activities are not really included in anything that the CPA contemplates. I do see the create aspect of it though if if this is getting people coming out. Well, we're creating this creat creating recreational opportunities opportunities on property.

We've had people have wanted to write a history of Grafton. We can't create a history of Grafton. We can preserve a history book that was written a 100 years ago, but we can't even digitize that. That's how rigid they are. Even though that makes sense if you're any have any knowledge of reservations. Some communities are that makes you're not supposed to to use that, but I don't have any problem. It's it's such a low enough number and it just seems like it would be nice to if possible to fund it. I would love to be able to do it. Um but I mean if the committee's against it then

Well, it's it's not against it's can we are we authorized to spend that's what I I want to make sure that we're within the guidelines. Yeah, we can like the project that but to me that's like the lift, right? The lift at the church. When Stuart weighed in on that, he does not agree we should have funded that, but we all agreed we should and we were okay with going for it. Um, so to me it's kind of like that for me. Okay. I mean, well, anybody else have any comments? So, I'll reach out to um to Stuart. Okay. Thank you. And we'll get back to you on that. So, but nothing will change in terms of your application. now and then that's it is what it is

content and the dollar amount of thing but yeah that would be great cool thing to do I know you know CPA is specific but yeah whatever um you know there's any possibility okay so for next meeting or before the next meeting if you can update the application that you submitted with the dollar figures that we talked about for the for the first Yeah. Yep. And then that way we've got and then Ken will he's drafted more articles and he can update those based on your new numbers. Sure. Yeah, I can do that.

I think I think 90 is a good number for contingency on the project, right? We just we need to we just need to sell it to the town meeting. Yeah. And that seems reasonable. Yes. Well, hopefully at the end of it all, it all be mainly grandfunded. That's the goal. But yes, I I hear you. Well, the goal is that we still have CPA. That's that's my goal. Yes. Yes. That's that's Yes, that's the other. Way more. Yes. So, let's get these projects funded before there's a problem. Um Roger.

All right. Once again, um noting Fiona's um uh reference to disability and accessibility, uh assuming this breaches Tom meeting floor, accessibility advisory commission would also weigh in on this award article. Okay. Okay. Thanks. Okay. Anything else? I don't Did you want me to speak to the affordable housing trust contribution while I'm here? Certainly. Certainly. Yep. Well, it's just the standard request for the transfer. Yeah. I just didn't know if there was any questions and Colleen's here. So, again, you know, I mean, I know you have a little commute. So, okay. Wonderful.

Want to keep Well, thank you all so much for your time. I really appreciate it. Thank you. Good to see you all. Good to see you. All right. And I will update that and I will uh do that tomorrow and then um just let me out. any technical issues, but Yep. Okay. All right. Thank you. And if you have technical issues, William's the one to ask. Fair enough. Thank you all again. You can let me know there's a problem. So, I know there's a problem, but he's the one that's going to be able to solve your problem. Okay. Um I saw Skips. Okay.

There he is back row. Oh, yeah. Nice to meet you again. Okay. What kind of questions do we have? What's your name? Roger Curry from Freemat Circle and Nor. Do you want to give us a elevator speech?

Okay. We have eight original career prints. Three from the American Firemen series that are the the basis of that. I understand that there's some others that have been printed. It's just hard time trying to find exactly what they were. And then the life of a fireman, we have five of the six. I believe that at one time we had a complete set of six. Still kind of looking around where the other one might be. Um they have hung in the fire station up in North Draft since what I believe to be the 1870s. Um in various environments, they're in their frames. Well, not anymore. Now they're in a vault, but we had to take them out of the frames. They have the original float glass or whatever you want to call that glass. It has the imperfections and stuff in it. They have suffered from some very light light damage, no pun intended, and some staining from being um framed with acidic paper or cardboard or whatever you want to call mats around them. We would like to get them clean, get the frames clean. Have uh call it low glass or plexiglass. There's a name for it, but material replacing the glass and and then to be able to have them and display them at different places in town. Just, you know, kind of keeping them the home place being up at the station in North C. Any questions? I have one I'll say this get give the same comments that I gave to um

Fiona if do did you build in a contingency or do you pretty much have a good

the the prices are very good that we got from the two people I sent pictures and the person that Seth Irwin from the Irwin Restorations works with the gentleman itself Whitman He's described the frames because he's seen them all when we took them all apart and looked at them. Described what needs to be done to them. When I said, "Well, I can do that." He starts talking about, "Oh, this is waxed and you have to do this and that to it and everything." Okay. Picture framing from the 1870s and finishing them is not my thing. So, we'll just let this guy do it. He's an hour to two hours each should not be a problem. They both kind of that into the prices that we have from them. So, he's figured about two hours a piece at the most for the frames. And they they almost not quite like this tabletop as far as not really having too much done to them. Some have some mold and some crud on them and stuff like that. So, it's essentially going to be cleaning. So, I have to take them out there,

then go pick them up when they're done, right?

Take them out to the other guy once he's done actually. I don't know how they're going to do it. I saw the facility that he's going to do it at. Um they are watercolors. Somehow he is going to just be able to clean the non printed surface type effects um to try and lighten them up a little bit from the acid staining that's happened through the back of the pictures. Um but they're uh really remarkable. Just kind of run out and grab one to bring it. It showed it to you outside the frames because it was like a almost like a bridge. You wouldn't notice it, but in the glass.

They're beautiful pictures that we It's great that you guys rediscovered them, I guess.

Yeah. Well, it's, you know, it was my original thing I done in 2000 and been on again, off again trying to find somebody to see if we could even find out whether they were really real. and finally stumbled across somebody in Framingham and over the last year and a half have managed to do the research find out when we believe they were acquired and it meets the pricing that they would have been had they been acquired at that time and they're definitely originals they're not I guess there was a bunch made in the 1880s for like copies and then in the early 1900s and they're not the quality I guess that those would be their original.

It's great. So it would be a shame to see them go any further. There's you might see one or two of them out there for sale someplace, but she said that you just the collection that you have is just doesn't exist. Any questions from the committee? No. How do you ensure these afterwards to protect the investment just because if it when you said it doesn't exist it instantly made it that more valuable. Not that they weren't already valuable but that's so the problem with that is is that

you can't if they if it doesn't exist then at no price can you buy another one. So, a lot of stuff. And that's why you say it's priceless because it you could get something similar, something close, but you can't get I mean, I don't know how many of each one of those they make. I guess I'm just looking at a bunch of fires here and I'm trying to protect it from a fire. Like, how do we what do we do here?

Well, it it's funny you ask. Carol, who looked at the maps, is an expert on maps and paper. She isn't um an appraiser type, but what she did was look and say, "I can tell you that the quality that you have is better than these that are out for sale." Um that she was unable to find in resources that she has any for sale on some of the prints. And so she's kind of agreeing with the single pricing of kind of what's out there and kind of giving us the ballpark ideas to I don't know what it would cost to get a real appraisal out of them. the idea of how much are they insured for? I found that question asked and it's you know like okay in a company meeting somebody asked one of the chiefs and the chief went back to the other chiefs and said how much do we have and then they went to the selectman and somehow they found out they were for $1,200 but this was 50 years ago. Now they're probably in some floater that we have at the town.

Yeah. But they're not specifically mentioned. I technically from my former profession, I don't even know if the town can ensure them because from what I see, we own them kind of. They were purchased on the books of the

who's we so that Emperor Engine Company 2 bought them. that disbanded in the 1870s, 1880s, and there was a successor group, the Henry Krippen Fire Company, which I always thought to be a joke because there was some minutes or something, their bylaws on the wall down there. Well, come to find out that Henry Krippen was involved in the fire department and he was a real guy and all that kind of stuff. And he in fact was they were that's what they were called. that kind of seems to have gone by the wayside in the 1920s or 1930s or not been as active or the group called that and eventually it kind of became an association that they just and company two was an association of all the guys. They had their own set of bylaws and kind of like adopted everything that the former associations had owned. So when we having our golf tournaments. We formed the corporation and did the 501c3 stuff and we're here as the proverbial owners of all the stuff that the other guys passed along. So, does the town really have an insurable interest in them to ensure them? I don't know. I'd have to read one of the the Maya property, see whether we can even do it or what they

That's not going to hold up my support. I would But when you said it was irreplaceable, that was where meant how are we protecting? I don't know. The people that we have talked to about this have also intimated that if it kind of gets out that you have them, you might get approached to display these at your So, so if we sold them, would we still need an override? We're not. It's No, I I don't. So, looking at I looked out there and if you said they were $6,000 a piece,

I just I have no That's what I'm seeing. Better quality of the ones that you can get singles. But that doesn't really even matter because But it it it does. Oh, it's just super fun. It's interesting. It would be cool to go out and say, "Okay, if you took them and threw them out at auction once they were all done, what would happen? It wouldn't it wouldn't reduce the tax rate that much. No, no, but that that's the the story on them in a nutshell is you know somebody might say well they're the towns but with this work that's being done uh you know protect them from degrading further in the yes foreseeable future.

Yeah. as as soon as they're the the acids that have built up in them have been removed as best they can be with the process that they're going to do and you put them into the with the um it's it's a plexiglass but he had a name for it um to keep the light damage down. I have all kinds of guidance from them about where we should and shouldn't put them. They they are amazed that where they were they aren't more damaged. And it's not like they are. I mean, I don't know what you can see in the pictures that I sent along. Um

yeah, they Well, he has to take those by the standards that they have. I don't know what they look like other than um just like looking at my computer, you know. Well, this project this project is clearly uh in covered by the uh the the act. So, it's preserving a historical artifact that's clearly allowed. So, it's right up the committee's alley.

I do have a question though in terms of who owns them because if it's not the town that owns it, the historical commission needs to get it on our agenda in a week to say that we verify that it has toal significance to the town because if it's owned by the town, we don't have to go through that step. So, do you technically are we going to say that it's this the 501c3 that owns it or the town or should we just be safe the historical commission will address this? Do you want me to go see them? Um I

I don't I don't want to make you have to go to another meeting. Paul and I are both on that committee. We can explain and we can share this information with the committee. Um, and basically it's we'll review the the information that you presented and vote yes, this was this is historically significant to the the town town. It's when I was doing the new form, I kind I'm looking at that it's I don't know how That see that question seemed to be more geared towards real property not personal property

because for historical society they had several things that we paid to have like they had some textiles and they had some old um needle point things like that. We had to do that to say yes this is even though because we don't own it and we don't have a legal interest in it. So, this is we're saying it's historically significant to the town and because you're a nonprofit, this is a a group that will share this with the town. So, it's it's it just it's part of the law. That's okay. Like I said, it's pretty rigid. Yeah. If if you want anything else from me, feel free to Okay. yell by I think we have what we need.

Yeah. I don't have any more info other than spend like a lot of time spent getting try to find all this stuff and go to different places to speak with people. So, so do you plan to resubmit with a with a contingency just in case it is two and a half hours instead of you don't want to move to this paper? Sir, that is went over. So, he's vested in it for that. So, he wants it. Okay. Yeah. I did the the money that's there to do this should take care of this without a problem. Okay.

I don't expect to use it all. That's great. All right. Okay. Great project, Skip. Thank you all very much. Thanks for doing it. Okay. Let's see. Um treasures report. Um can we uh get the monitors on? don't know how to work anything anymore, do we? No. I I I assumed we couldn't. That's why Fiona's wasn't It's been longer that I didn't work at the studio now than the time I worked there. I'm fully out of the loop. Okay. Uh so I don't know if anybody's has a copy of it.

Oh yeah. the so it's been uh I I connected with Mary Lauria the accountant and confirmed that the uh the revenue estimates that uh I presented last month are the ones we're going to use. So uh with the search charge the state match and estimated interest all estimates that we are speculating that we'll have 88 $891,57 of revenue. So that leaves us with 10% reserves of 89,51 and an admin reserve of 24,000. So we're going to uh have a budgeted reserve of just over $600,000. There is a the Blackstone Greenway concepts could be taken from the budget of reserve and that could be their $15,000 or perhaps $90,000

if they take our recommendation. The uh other expenditures are going to come from the reserves. farm 55,000 from the uh open space reserve the one in common 71,000 from historic reserve the career I pre restoration 10,500 historic reserves and I guess a transferable housing trust 89,000 and that leaves us uh going into October uh Us assuming that we're still at $15,000 for the bike way of over a million $200,000 available for grants in the future in October. So we're in good shape and the comm you there's certainly enough money here to uh fully fund the bike wave feasibility study if necessary. And if we do uh raise that to $90,000, uh it's still highly likely that the grant will come in. It may only be $15,000 anyway.

Yep. Yeah. And when you say that our money gets spent last, so then still it would just then it would come to that if they get the grant, they still spend the 15 and then it just kicks back. So that's the report. Okay. Any questions? Thank you. Have a motion. So move So second was a pause too. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed? Clear the motion carried. We did the project applications. So, we have one sunset extension that we need to do for the um pasta wood uh bridge project that expires this June. So, we need to extend that for a year. It's so fun to move. It makes life so much easier. Do I have a motion? Do How detailed does this motion have to be? Like how long you want to extend it for? We said it's already pretty much like

they they've done one bridge and then I don't know if it was a seasonal thing and then they stopped or it was just that you know you they have a million other things they can do. So then they stopped and they plan to do it this spring. So if they don't finish it this spring, we need to make sure that funding is still there because I forget who it was, but someone said that like they plan to be done like a month after we have that's always the case and we don't want to cut somebody short on time. So I would say one year is sufficient. I make a motion that we extend what is the uh the group um it's we're calling it the hatwoods

um bridge project um be extended by one calendar so that's till June 30th of 28 so I have a motion by Paul do I have a second second sorry Correct. 27 motion second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? I 27 or 22 27. I'm like I'm thinking 27. So I'm like trying to be smart and but it's not it. So close.

Um hearing no objections. All those all those in favor hearing. No objections. Motion carried unanimously. Um do we I don't Amory left so gonna ask her. I haven't heard anything more they about withdrawing from CPA because we were going to if that were the board has no interest in it. We're going to keep publing. with that was discussed to have some kind of an educational you know that we need to do something to help advocate for why it's important to keep it but if it's not really going to happen

no like the meeting you attended um Andy was like if if we even entertain this further they would invite us in to just and they just at the board level and and talking because I've talked to two people from the coalition that and with Ken even if we voted at town meeting and they have the election, it's going to be at least three full years before it would end in Grafton. So that if they're looking for debt relief for taxpayers this year,

it's not going to happen because we have to pay off our bonds. And then once we vote to get rid of it, we don't get the match anymore. So we're paying off the bonds with all our money, not even the 20% match. The match is gone. So yeah, no, that makes sense. I mean, most of CPA is funded by Grafton residents. The match is very, right, but it's these days, but it's, you know, couple hundred,000 bucks. That's 120,000. Well, we talk about it's it's that bikeway right there. You know,

it was proposed as a theoretical olive branch to make an override more appealing, and I think it was very quickly determined that it wasn't. But it's the problem is that it's it's there's no advantage to doing it. That's why I said theoretical. It was can we maybe make these numbers they're just having a lot of hard conversations

and I have talked to David Meridian and I talked to Stuart as well because the one thing that I said that we could possibly do was raise the exclusion. The $100,000 is in the statute and that's it. It's not flexible. And so um the coalition has other things they want to do and so they during this coming year, they're going to work on all the things that they want and then go into a package um to the legislature to say these are the things that we would like to see changed and this will be one of them. And so when's the last time they had major changes to

a couple years ago and that's it was a big change because one thing that changed was recreation because before you could not renovate fields. It's been more than two years. That's a that's a good ad. um that towns like Cambridge when it wasn't a problem for the small towns, but when the big towns started adopting CPA, they don't have any real estate left. So, the only way that they could improve their fields were to literally rebuild their fields and that was specifically prohibited in the original act. So,

so they the legislature is willing to to make changes. So hopefully we will be able to get some changes. Um why? Oh, there we are. Sorry, I think I skipped right over it. Um the town meeting warrant articles. Um

so I don't know that was in the packet, right? Everybody should have. Um so the the warrant articles that Ken has drafted warrant articles um that the administrative reserve is 24,000 the 10% for his historic affordable and open space um 89,151 each um the PEL bond is um 55,000 uh

and it's from the open space reserve by the way. Okay, since there is a large amount, um the townhouse is 71425 and that'll come from historical C and I is going to come from historical 10,500. And so for most of these I in fact all of them I just literally copied the text from the the approved ones from past times and edited them to match the current ones with the fewest fewest words changed

the fund and the name of the project and the right correct and so on the 39 I call them restorations It said actually they're preserving them too. It should be conservation but restoring is good enough conservation. Preservation is going to be restores preserve or restore both those things and there's also rehabilitation in the same one. So restoring and yeah I think restore and rehabilitation are often used interchangeably. So anyway that's what it says.

I have I have one quick question that's more semantical. Um on the bond payments when it's do we do a bond payment at both spring and fall or is it just once a year? Once a year. Got it. Just in the beginning of the year whenever they got Do we need to vote on these tonight or are we going to vote on them? This is just for everybody to to review because look this next one we're already hopefully going to change because we don't know amounts yet. The the bike way is 15,000 in the draft and it's probably going to get changed tonight. And the text says contributing to the funding. So if it gets increased, I would drop those words. Yeah. Because it would just be fun. That's good.

Yeah. Okay. And then the last one is um the we reserve at the top 89151 for um affordable housing. And then this one takes that reserve and then transfers it to the affordable housing trust. Is it a possible seventh depending on what Stuart says about that? Um

I guess

Roger may I speaking as a resident not as a chair of any committee. Um, one of the things that had happened I back in was it 21 20 um 2001 pardon that the CPA was initially enacted and I know that it was pretty much in the spirit of the CPA that the projects that um were funded from CPA monies were the projects themselves were authorized by town meeting and at a point that the affordable housing trust was put in place I think by a vote of town meeting at a at a certain point shortly thereafter we started rubber stamping or town meeting kind of didn't understand the warrant article in the motion in my opinion that we started rubber stamping this transfer to affordable housing trust and when this warrant article or the warrant articles were first put in place the main motion on town meeting floor uh included the language and no longer does and probably no longer needs to uh that the transfer occurs to from uh that reserve account to affordable housing trust and they use the words without further appropriation from town meeting and that's just fancy talk for it's out of town meeting's hands. I I never like that and I know the affordable housing trust has made I think a somewhat valid argument that the timing of town meeting may stifle their ability to do things in the interim with that money if it stays within the reserve account. I'm not aware that that has happened in all the years that we've made this transfer. I I think it was maybe a year ago. It is springtime meeting, right? That we make these transfers, not fall time meeting.

We changed a lot of this into everything now is right in May.

All right. So I I had spoken on town meeting floor I think it was last May against this transfer and the the great irony was that people packed town meeting to vote for things and then they voted and I spoke against the transfer and they basically voted for the transfer. So the I the great irony here is that people showed up to town meeting to vote on stuff and then kicked that out kicked it out of their own hands in the future for the affordable housing trust to not to have this money and not have to come back to town meeting the very town meeting that everyone showed up at. And I I just found that to be ironic. And and I say this in the context of continuing to be against his transfer for lack of precedent that this money has been really needed in the interim that affordable housing trust had argued uh hey listen we need the money this transfer is good and I think it's a more philosophical uh uh discussion that in my opinion the way I observed it when CPA was first instituted in 01 or thereabouts that these things came back to town meeting for a vote. You know, we we don't um hypothetically, I mean, we don't uh transfer open space stuff to the uh uh Grafton Land Trust, you know what I mean? Not that we could, but it would be the same discussing it in the same light that basically we're raising this sir tax money and then just basically kicking it out of our own hands to vote on and and when that CPA was sold, it was sold that the residents of Grafton had a chance to vote on

things. And I guess we also have the ability to vote to transfer this money to affordable housing trust. But I think that in recent years there was a misunderstanding by town meeting that we had to do this that it was a rubber stamp that we there was a mandate and it can stay. Am I correct in in stating that it can stay within that um that bucket? Yes,

it's it's always going to be only for affordable housing. So whether it's acrewing in their account or or their budget line or our budget line, it's their money. It's whether we get to decide on a project. So they would have to come to us and say we want to spend X dollars on this that it could come from general CPA funds but also from their reserve. Right? Whereas if it's given to them, they can decide their projects without us deciding yes or no on that or having or having any say.

So So let me ask you this and I not to put you on the spot but to put you on the spot has uh CPC here discussed I guess from a philosophical perspective what approach you you should take on this whether you want to be involved in those things and bring it back to Tom meeting. We certainly can discuss it right now.

I mean, I I I would like to see that discussion because I I think that um and this is not saying that this is a vote of of no confidence in affordable housing trust. It's basically saying that when this was originally sold, and I I don't mean that as a pjorative. I I CPA has been I think really good for the town in spite of it being a start tax. Um but it was really sold that these projects would come before town meeting and I think it was a huge misunderstanding that whenever this came before town meeting people really had no idea what they were voting on. It was one of these things that I call like an administrative vote where everyone just kind of like sits there and raises their hands and no one really speaks for or against it. Um but yeah, I I'd like to see that uh discussion happen, especially in the uh in light of uh affordable housing trust having a decent amount of money having been transferred to it since all these transfer votes have have come to light. Not come to light, but you know, have taken place.

Can I just put a pin in this real quick? Yeah, please. What agenda item is this falling under? And should we have the affordable housing trust in to discuss this? because I just don't think I feel like we're going down a really deep path that really Well, you're not voting on it tonight. We're having a discussion on something that really I don't warrant article number six, affordable housing trust transfer. That's right. Yeah. No, it is. Yeah. I wouldn't Yeah. I wouldn't have gone outside the box. Yeah. And and I'm not expecting that you vote on it. I mean, uh, you know, chair said that we're not voting. You're not voting on anything tonight. But, um,

yeah, it's just one of those things where I I would like as a voter to have a say in some of this stuff directly. I mean, everyone has an indirect um means of weighing in on this because they can show up at at at the affordable housing trust meetings and um and I think you're part of the trust. Yeah. And so, um, that's what I'm thinking that if we're going to engage in this discussion, we have the affordable housing trust here, um, have that discussion, right?

Um, and to to your point where you're saying when we first adopted this, one of the big selling points was we can get out after the first three or five years, right? People felt comfortable knowing we don't have to be with this forever and now it's been 25 years and people are afraid to get out of it. It's been 18 times. What are you talking about? I think we've made 18 transfers. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about when we joined CPA originally, one of the selling points when we're talking about selling points, right, was that we could get out and obviously that is not a selling point anymore. So, I think we can't just lean on the selling points from 25 years ago because those change, right?

I mean, fair point, you know. No, it is a fair point. I mean things do change but I think that um there are times that we stray too far and then we don't even remember there's no historic uh or institutional memory of of um you know how things were done. Now I'm not going to be all folksy and say that we always need to do things the way we've always done them. But I am saying that it's basically spending by committee and and why not just I mean the affordable housing trust made the argument or a member of uh made the argument that the trust could be stifled if they needed to do something in the interim. Okay. And again the irony was that it was a town meeting. I mean, that's an argument that heck, if you're talking about um town meeting being the inefficiency that that that individual or individuals are basically arguing against town meeting itself.

Well, I do want to make a correction on that because that's not only whoever that was's argument. It's the CPA's argument. It says on their website, do you need a way to acquire land for affordable housing without having to wait for your municipalities legislative body to vote on each and every opportunity that arises? Okay. So, it's the CBA's argument as well. Really? Yeah. Okay. I I find that ironic that that All right. And was that she actually is the one, not the trust, that decided to do this. We thought because we did not because the concern was

nothing had come up. It's it's not like we had a problem and we had to have a special town meeting. We thought this would be a smart way to make sure there was a a fund of money to do whatever they needed to do fairly quickly because with real estate and if they're buying real estate again, you're not going to be buying a lot of real estate with any of the money that we're giving. There's just not enough money. But if they needed whatever money that they had, right, that's why we decided to do the transfer to them on an annual basis rather than to wait for an actual they could still do an application for a grant which they have done.

But wouldn't that argument be have more weight when the transfers first started? In other words, now that there's money in the affordable housing trust, I believe they've used that money for that property up in the comment. So AHT is kind of at a close to a zero balance. I I guess I just the overarching point you're trying to make is you want more input on what the affordable housing trust spends money on. But as a citizen as part of the larger town meeting body, so you want town meeting to have more input on what afford but they it's a very limited scope of what we can spend that money on. You realize

correct? Oh yeah. Yeah. So it's just a matter of who votes on it. What does that mean? In in other words, right now it's the affordable housing trust. It's a committee is is basically acting as a quasi legislature versus Tom Meing. In other words, you know, I I know that Tom Meing has can authorize and has authorized his transfer and is affirmatively saying, "Yeah, we want this out of our hands." But I think for the most part, people don't understand what they're even voting on.

And there's a grant agreement between CPC and the Affordable Housing Trust. So there's there's all these um you know guard rails in place. So what is it? Can you give me an example of what you would try to prevent or or or help by doing this way? No, I it's neither preventing nor helping. It's basically saying from a philosophical perspective whatever may come before time meeting uh that is affordable housing related that that money would come from or stay in the that pot of money that reserve account and then Tom meeting would vote on it. So instead of for example the money whatever X dollars that of CPC funds that went to Upton Street

right that instead of you having that money available to you that would have had to been a warrant article right to say did the voters of Craftton approve spending X dollars of CPC money to augment right developer funds to do to buy down prices so we could have more affordable units so that the town meeting just but would vote on it the actual

great right great right great right great right great right great right great right great right great right great right great and I know the argument's been made that somehow town meeting would not vote for things and that town meeting would vote against things and and um I'm actually taking the opposite approach in other words I I I believe in affordable housing accessible housing um you know adaptable housing all of that and and even the direct um subsidies that have occurred even you know uh from either opera or during COVID. And so I'm not trying to prevent something, but you see how it could, right? Oh. Oh, absolutely. I I could see how it could. And also expounding on this issue like the town appropriates funds to departments that then spend that money,

right? So, do we want town meeting voting on Department of Public Works? Well, we can we can actually vote on the line. You can put a hold. We can put a we can put a hold on that. you put a hold in the transfer, which you tried to do. Yeah. Right. So, we already have those right things in place,

right? But I think that and to your point, Colleen, uh yeah, you're not voting tonight and absolutely um maybe affordable housing trust didn't anticipate there'd be any uh comment on this. But yeah, absolutely bring them in. And and as far as I'm concerned, um you know, although I'm I'm speaking, you know, um politely, adamantly about about this, um in the end, you know, if Tom Meing votes for the transfer, it's neither here nor there. That's Tom Meing's vote. But I'm not going to be like silent about it. There's too I think there's too many things at Tom Meing that get rubber stamped. I don't understand how you can say that you support affordable housing, but you're against an affordable housing trust transfer. I don't I don't understand.

No. In other words, I think that the town with proper deliberation will support affordable housing expenditures just in a different venue. Instead of a committee level, it would be a town meeting level. I know that's a risk. Would you try to get on the affordable housing trust then? I think that's I'm actually getting off one committee,

but that's but I think that's for your level of passion and concern. I think the answer is to get on the affordable housing trust. No, I I actually think it would be to to uh engage the other 13,500 people that not uh registered voters that are not on committees to um become more aware of all the committees in town. So, I mean, on a personal level, I'm on two committees right now and I'm I'm stepping off of one. So, you know, so I from a time commitment, yeah, I can show up on a Thursday night, but to make a commitment to to switch one committee to another, that's that's not something I can do. So,

is this something I mean, if CPA or the coalition is saying advocating for this, is this when I'm talking to um Stuart, should I ask him? I mean, just to like see what if any other comments. Yeah, I think that's the whole point of St. bet things. I I don't think we need to encumber funds, especially one, we already have a grant agreement, so we'd have to reopen up our grant agreement. It's not as simple as as Roger's trying to make it out to be. I know he feels strongly about this. Um, are you saying it gets complicated to try to fund things incrementally?

No, I'm saying that we have a grant agreement saying that we're going to transfer this. We've already made an agreement between the trust and this this committee that we are going to abide by doing that. So now we would have to open that up and that took months to do with mamas and no agreement talks about makes the agreement is about what happens to the money when that is transferred not it does not man doesn't it's not a mandate it does not say that the money gets transferred every year it just says you know for any money that does get transferred does you know has to be used like this right but it doesn't say money must be transferred

right and I think the town meeting has thought it's been almost framed that it it must be done and and I understand that it it it can be the waters can be muddied and and um that a project could be put forth but only a portion of it is a town meeting and then the whole thing is weighing on a town meeting vote. I it can be sticky. I understand that and and and and it can be inefficient, but I mean town meeting I mean is can be inefficient meeting twice a year and and hoping that nothing happens in between meetings um you know of an emergency nature. Um, but I mean that's the way we we run our town and so

so what's the benefit you're I guess I'm just No, the benefit the benefit is I mean one of the benefits is I mean certainly preserving the tradition of town meeting but when you spoke to this last year yes and you were outvoted isn't that the will of town meeting saying they're okay with doing these transfers at that meeting. So you Okay. So just weigh in each meeting. I I I will. Okay. I will. And you also said at the beginning of this that

you dislike the argument of well this is the way we do things. But then you said just now that well this is the way we do things. You vote for legislation at town meeting. So I I think your argument may more so be critical of not the attendees to be specific, but just the body of town meeting that do show up because you feel it gets rubber stamped because that's never been made official. So that would be on the attendees, not on any board or commission. No, no, I think it is on the attendees, but I I think that um it would be worth CPC having the discussion of and and you're saying that while the CPA itself mentions that it's more efficient and I'll wrap this up. Um it's a more efficient way to do things through AHT

through the transfer than they have to wait for the legislative body. Well taken. But I it would be an interesting discussion to to have uh to see whether CPC is is on board with that each year. Well, can we just take a quick uh straw pull unofficial vote of the committee members are here? Are we interested in no longer transferring money to the affordable hous? Do we actually want to go down this path as a committee? I I personally do not. I think it's just going to create more problems than it's worth and I don't think we need that aggravation personally. Um but if a majority of us here want to go down there then let's import the affordable housing trust in have that conversation.

But before we do that and the um agreement the first whereas is um which agreement is this agreement agreement we did yeah that the um the act requires not less than 10% be set aside for committee um housing. I thought at the beginning of the next

Are you reading MGL or are you reading our I'm I'm that was I I thought that's like oh that was like saying but that was that was the law and I thought it was like that was the agreement but it's the agreement just contemplates that from time to time the committ the committ will will receive. And but but no, but I'm trying to get to what Colleen said. It says at the beginning of the next fiscal year or other specified time, the housing funds in the community preservation fund shall be transferred to the trust. So that saying that this agreement we have agreed to do this. So then why does even go in front of

this agreement? I don't feel like I mean we can talk about it but I don't feel like that like you said we can't change this without renegotiating. No that's not that's not what it says. It's saying it's but you're talking about the housing funds and the housing funds are defined up here and the housing funds are defined as from time to time the committee shall consider and they approve grant applications from the trust and you know those funds that are transferred or become housing funds. It just doesn't say that we have the 10% has to be transferred.

It does not. But anyway, I don't think that's that's not, you know, the point of what we're discussing anyway. Right. Anyway, all we're discussing is does you know do does the town want to continue the practice of automatically transferring the 10% reserve funds to the trust. And and to Colleen's point, it's a warrant article that could we vote on every year and if I want to speak up against it, I personally I think that that's a a that's a valid topic to be discussed at town meeting. Yeah. But we need to talk about it first. But but I we also get into the muddy waters of trying to do committee work on town meeting floor and that can take an equal amount of time.

But it's not committee work. You're making it town meeting work. That's your whole point is you want town meeting to have more say. The committee already has made it, you know, whether it's spelled out or not. That the spirit of that grant agreement was about our transfers, our 10% transfers that we've been doing for 18 years now according to previously quoted numbers. So unless I'm here, is there a majority of us right now that want to go down this path? I don't I don't think we're Well, I don't think we're prepared to make a change even if we wanted to. But do you want to continue this discussion at the next meeting? I personally do not at the committee level.

And does anybody want to continue this discussion or not at the next meeting? I don't see any reason to. I I don't you know the whole spirit of what we're doing is to free up that funding so that they would have it to use and nothing and and you're confident that finance committee will also concur because they they deliberate these more it's not my job to be confident in what finance committee is or isn't going to do right now I'm wearing my community preservation hat that's true I keep on forget yeah because yeah I know you're on AHD but you're wearing a CPC hat

right and and my CPC hat says this is the spirit of what we've been doing and your biggest concern is town meeting having more say, not our committee deciding whether or not town meeting should have more say. And our committee right now, the gist of them are saying we're not interested in that proposal, but you are more than welcome to speak at town meeting and I'm sure you will. I may I may I may not, you know, but no, at least I brought it up. I appreciate uh the this committee hearing me out. You know, I don't think enough people come to these type of meetings and so at least having like you can see we're very crowded this afternoon this evening. It was it were people more than we've ever had. Yeah, it was. Anyway, I appreciate all

I appreciate all your work and Colleen affordable housing trust work. I I know how much

I hear but also we have made an agreement with the trust. So, And I I appreciate you adding that context because that it's now public. Uh I go I may simply go away and and and and now that you've brought that to light that I wasn't aware of that there's sort of a more of a even though it technically has to go to town meeting for a vote, it sounds like it's probably that it it sounds like um you know you've kind of affirmatively acknowledged should happen but

it's more structured and in fairness to you I still will ask Steuart at the coalition to to get feedback from him right so that I'll get back to you on that in the committee next month but just so that we're not leaving it hanging and that it's you know we're getting a a response to because I think like it like you said that that's and they probably I don't know if we asked them or if we just did it that they advised us that this would be one way to make money available to the housing trust.

I'd have to look it up, but there is an article out there local affordable housing trust started cropping up because of CPA. Towns didn't have affordable housing trusts before funding source became available. And when a funding source became available, trusts came. And I'm assuming this is the only pretty much the only funding source. Uh no. So settlements have come in settlements but only consistent funding source. Yes. Okay. In addition to that, some towns have similar trusts for open space. Okay. There there are open space trusts in some towns that get funded in similar ways. Okay. For similar purposes, but we do not have them. But okay, they exist in Massachusetts. Great. Thank you very much.

Thank you. All right. I have comment that we just received an email from Fiona. They have already amended. So Oh, good. We're all set. Don't have to worry about it. So efficient. Mhm. Okay. Man, that was a quick drive home.

A long time. And while we're still on the topic of the warrants, I'd like to say that uh uh now that we have a grant agreement with the affordable with the affordable housing trust, I included that language in uh what's the the sixth warrant article and I what I did is I added the phrase uh uh in I added to the phrase with such fund being used in accordance with the community preservation committee grant agreement and the town of Grafton affordable housing trust. You just added that now. Yes, I have that. Okay. I was like, I don't I added that. I didn't write it on your page. No. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And so I just cited the agreement that the new agreement that we signed this year.

That's cool because then people might be like, "Oh, what is that? Let me go look into it." And I like that. And so that's we do we and it's like I tried to find it. Um Beth, is there button? I thought there's a button. I mean on my phone there probably aren't any buttons. I mean it may be there. Um the grant agreement that agre grant agreement I I wouldn't know how to find it easily on our website. I was just digging through minutes. That would be good to have posted. Is that if that isn't where Oh yeah, it was supposed to be under like you know treasures report. One of these buttons should have been the grant agreement. It was signed May. It might be on the affordable housing trust. So let me see if they pop it up there. So if you could add that

to the um you said under the treasures report does that I mean They might be alphabetical, but I was using that as an example where the And I'll ask Amber if she can get it on the affordable housing trust one. So, it's in two places depending on which entity you heard. Makes sense. So, can you have to coach me a little bit? So, I'm going to Wait, where are you? I got lost. Want me to come help you? No. Okay. Um, so under committee preservation, it has several things. So if I touch treasures report, that's where you think it should go.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I used that as an example of the drop down. So it would just go on that list. Yeah, in the list somewhere. So whatever that simil Yeah. Gotcha. Okay. Because I thought that's kind of where I looked and didn't look any further. Oh, no. Sorry. No, that was that's where if just an example. So if you could pop that there then because that's I think an important document. The new agreement that we Yes. And can we maybe put up while you're up there adding the grant proposals for the 2026 uh 2025 somehow didn't get up there either, but it's a cool place to find stuff.

Okay. It is. So we will move quickly. Okay, let's move. Um, updates. Any updates from the archives?

No, I last month presented you what she's moving forward. So, now I haven't heard anymore. Okay. Historic gravestone. I actually was hoping to hear back. I talked to Paul Holtz. I talked to three people at Mass Historical. The archaeologist said, "Talk to Paul Holtz." Paul Holt said, "Send me some photographs." So, I sent him a bunch of photographs last week. He said, "I'll get back to you immediately." And got back, but he wanted he wanted to look at them to say because I told him I talked to Mixie, the lady that had come out, the consultant a year or two ago whenever she came out, and said, you know, that she recommended that would be because of the fragility of the stone that that would be an alternative to bring it in. And he wanted to see how bad the stone was before he approved, saying, "Yes, you could bring it in and make a replica. Um, so I will I pinged him again today and haven't heard back. Um, but I was, you know, he said he would get right back to me. So I said, "Did you get my emails?" Because I sent you like 10 pictures. And he started talking about different things you could do for conservation that's that the actual material that you use that you put on the top actually um wears away. It's not permanent. I mean, that's the goal. You don't want anything to be permanent because then you're locked in forever and when the new technology comes then you can't undo what you've done. So you want everything to be reversible. So this would be something that would be a temporary thing that you would have to do again and again and again. So I said, "Well, the problem is is I don't know if that stone's going to last that long. It may pop off and then we've lost the part that's significant. So, well, I mean, I'll have an answer and then we'll either put this to bed or put it away

at that point because he's kind of the one that's holding all the cards in terms of what we can and cannot do. If you made a replica, the replica would then go to the grave and then what happens to it would come here. I don't know why people are so that big pit in the wall downstairs. like a big Yeah. Where they take they keep taking out lockers. I mean, you could make display areas. Yeah. So haunted. I think they're so cool. Cool in the graveyard. Totally. But have you ever been to the MFA and seen old headstones? No.

Nope. I skipped over all of them. I have been there, but I didn't see any. Okay. We're doing fast. 95 North Street. There's three feet of snow on it. Nothing's changed. So they're thinking they're going to open. It was I thought in the fall. So I think as soon as snow as soon as the work's all done in essential. Yeah, pretty much. But it's not the full um bigger trail. It's just the accessible trail that's been built.

That's what we were talking about the last meeting that we have to clarify. Um I thought my understanding was when they went back they were able to do everything that we originally had scoped out. So, I'm looking forward to using any fund plans for like a dedication when it opens. Not that I've heard of. I'll have to talk to Adam. Um, conservation is pretty much leading that project. Okay. So, um, housing authority rental assistance. Yep. We requested one from February and we'll be requesting three more for March moveins. Okay. It's been extremely successful as usual.

The February one has been um Cisco Homestead. I know we received and paid a bill for $150,000. So they've done a considerable amount of work. Um and Ray said, you know, when weather improves if people want to come see it, we can time where either she or the contractor if you want to people want to go look at it that would be wonderful I'd love yeah let me know I'll go

that's going to be anytime soon given the weather for this next week I think it's supposed to get cold again and snowy so u congregational church that's we have to hear from and they have a new moderator oh my gosh Um, I just this I did this already once today. I blanked. I didn't get name who's like the like the head of the No, the mo the moderator is like the administrative person that's the head of all committees. Um, shame on me. I reach out to Andy to She just got an update.

Um, they're not requesting anything for the spring though, right? No, no. It's just when we're going to get started, what can we expect to see built? But have they come to the historic district commission? No. So that's another And that's why I wanted to talk. I'll mention it to him when I Okay. Do you have a quick update for trust?

Um, yeah. We updated our grant agreement with uh 1727 Upton Street. It was very just minimal things including the new entity Brandon Properties and we got it to be in line with all of the changes that the select board did. So it was really just um simple easy things. We actually had an extra meeting just to do that. So we're hoping that that's going to get going in the spring and um potential groundbreaking ceremony for that. So let you guys know about that if that takes off. That's it. Do you have ballpark when that Oh, one more the um groundbreaking will be spring. So, April, you think it'll be snowless? I am I am No, no. No, I don't know when the ground will unfreeze.

I might go there with my sh just one other thing. Sorry. The other thing is um did you touch base with Brian Ken? I sent an email with Yeah, I didn't. Okay. So he's the treasurer of the affordable housing trust now and he's done amazing work teasing out every like it's Ken's dream document of teased all out I read I looked at some of the reports you wrote it's nice

so oh good we got a thumbs up from Ken so anyway that's um I would I would love to maybe even I know I got Brent uh Brian and Ken on an email so they can talk and if Ken has any input or whatever and go from there but you know maybe even have Brian and present to us if you guys really wanted to see that nitty-gritty. I don't know if that's of interest to you guys, but um it is a nice document. I start color coding mine because it was just easier to read, but

yeah, he sure does. Okay. Um, but technically all the CPA funds have been expended that you the funds that you have in your account, whatever funds are from the settlement or is that an accurate is that an accurate statement? That is not the most accurate statement out there. So, I would I would um So, there's still some unspent CPA funds. Oh, yeah.

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Um I I think having Brian come in for sure and we'll make sure the monitors are working because everyone should see this beauty. Um and you know if if that's okay if he's available, can we throw him on next month's agenda? And I have one more agenda request for next month too. So do you want to separate like up the top agenda or just as part of I mean he can come in and talk whenever he wants but just keep it under the update. Yeah, we'll just keep it under the affordable housing trust update but we'll take it out of order to let him Yeah. I think that works totally. And then I just didn't know if that satisfied like Oh, because it totally is an update. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Y

um and then can we add that trifold town meeting? I almost did that and I thought, but I didn't. So, I will for March just to whatever updates or tweaks we want to make for spring so I could get those all done and keep keep pushing those up. And you can add that just next to the main town meeting warrant articles. They just be a part of that. Yeah. And promotions.

Okay. Um CPA signs. I'm still I need to I need to ask you guys in terms of the sign for the Robinson properties on Upton Street. It's going to be a standard sign whereas Right. So, we have to site the sign where it's the best place to put it. Would you like Can I ask you a question? You know that little like bump I'm gonna never stop me for where people kind of like pull off to fish. Is that part of it? Like could the sign go there? Go up where? Oh, that's like way down by the curb. Yeah. I don't think that's part of it.

Is it? I sure hope we didn't buy that. Explain again what you're talking about. So, like do you know where the the two houses are kind of where one's like not fully finished yet under construction by the I guess the curve? There's a tree there. You can actually see the beach. You can see the beach. Yeah. But it's like this little grally pulloff area. People are How can I describe that better? The Robinson. I think the Robinson properties are up. You can picture what the top it is, but I wasn't sure because I know we were collecting all the pieces. I don't know if that's that piece is kind of already town property, but there's also a little piece in there that no one knows. Put a sign on it and then we own it

like the olden days. But I love the idea of like the Ekla sign and putting a beaver on it like Jan said. I I asked her talked to her about a beaver and she's like, she was kind of concerned how that might come to but there's a beaver dam literally right there. Right. in term not in terms of the idea but in terms of the implementation the chief was afraid that it would be yes okay there is a design along the road there's there's access to there too so there's a place to put it

yeah I just pictured there because people will park and see it and appreciate it versus like kind of technology like did I just where did it not a good driver. So the other thing is that there's the town needs to arrange for a conservation restriction and I don't know whether anything or is that the new properties

the new propert Okay, I'll flip. Um, okay. And then

and other sign is the one at South Gra. I'm the stolen sign. The one that was stolen. It was just literally clipped on to a chainlink fence. And I again, you we can't have a big $5,000 sign, which now six or seven um there. It's lost. It be wasted. But something on a poll are I just don't like I got get it why they did it the way they did it, but look what it did. got us nothing. So to get some kind of they have um little signs that talk about the playground that came with their equipment

that they have a sign back there that wouldn't be you know any bigger than much bigger than a speed limit sign. Is that acceptable that kind of I mean I I'll bring a proposal or show you but is that I don't want to go down the wrong path and you guys go yuck. Is that okay? Something like that. Just we want to acknowledge that it's for Dorine and that we paid for it or significantly paid for it. Are we positive it was stolen? It's gone.

Is there is there somewhere else we could put the sign especially since it's for besides at the physical playground. Is there like a nice sign we do inside the building that will stay nice? It will acknowledge what was going on and it's just recognized inside the building. Um, I gotta be honest, as a parent going down to a playground, I'm not reading every sign. Don't, you know what I mean? But maybe when I'm waiting for a teacher conference and I'm reading the walls, that's when I might be looking around to see something. So, could we think about it differently? Maybe

we could. I would be concerned that that a sign is hopefully I mean, if it didn't disappear, that will stay there. something inside I would be not as confident that it would not get moved or covered up or a piece of furniture put in front of it. Oh, I'm picturing like plastering on the wall, screwed, right? But again, it's like weird stuff happens when you get a new principle. Yeah. Um well, I mean, we already know it's been stolen or broke. It's missing already once. We know it doesn't work yet, right? So, we have a lot of options besides that. I don't I was just thinking differently about it to maybe

I'm just because like when you first walk in on the right I think there's like a statement from the school committee that says this is you know the philosophy of crafting school and I think downstairs somebody had given some that a beautiful painting but and then there's a plaque that's for the librarian or the principal but you know but it's it's not when you first walk in. Um, I don't know how much real estate there is upstairs to put a block like that when you first walk in. I mean, I can talk to the principal and say, "Is this something that would be okay with you?" And where where maybe they have a suggestion? Where would you think it could go? Is this something that you do you guys think inside is okay? Would you rather see it outside?

That's a good point. I mean, we could I don't have a problem with doing both. I mean, a small plaque inside, but also a more visible sign outside that people will see it when they go when they when the kids are playing because you do visible outside that just is clear that we funded it and inside could be more detail why we funded it, you know, the history of it. So, that is that okay? I mean, and the sign that I was talking about, nothing fancy, just a metal sign on a pole that, you know, hopefully nobody will find desirable. I don't know. They have a collection right now. Um and then Wildwood again we're just waiting on the lawyers and the family. I guess probably the family more than motion to order.

I have a motion and Paul second. All those in favor? Unanimous. We are journed at 9:06.