Community Preservation Committee - Regular Meeting

[Music] I'm going to start the meeting with a moment of silence for Richard Whitney. Richard was a member of our committee and um is Justin's father-in-law. Um we'd like to honor his memory for the service to the community in this uh committee. The moment of silence. We need good volunteers in town. So, we appreciate people like Richard who did that. So, our condolences to you and your family and the days and the weeks to come.

Thank you. Next big item. committee reorganization. We um would have done it last month, but we didn't have quum. We didn't quite We just took vacation. No, there weren't enough people. There weren't enough people. I would like to make a motion, John. Okay. I'd like to move that we um nominate our existing slate of office, excuse me, for another term um and vote on them as a slate. And so that would be John for chair, Colleen for vice chair, Ken for treasure and I believe just you the clerk. Greg, am I still have a motion? Second.

I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Does anyone feel like they want to hold? Oh, that was I should have said that as part of the discussion. Are all those people willing to continue in that role? Yes. And does anyone feel like they want to be in a different position? Okay, this is the time to nominate Chan for some positions. She's not here. I have one thing I'd like to say is I'd like someone to back up the Treasury position, not as a official slate, but as a you know, as a as a follow on for maybe maybe next year. And is that in the past?

I've been I've been wanting to in the immediate future. I don't have that time, but I probably will within the year. So I don't we I don't think we need to vote on this. So we don't need to vote on that. I just wanted to say that Tommy Justin Wood treasurer proemperate. I don't think that's in that's an official position but it can be an unofficial the title. I'm also super interested too if uh I'll be a backup to the backup. Okay. But you all you have to do is be good at Excel. Okay. I will excel at that for you. Okay. So you guys can y discuss how you want to get through all that. Okay. Okay. Just have a motion.

Second. We've had discussion. Any further discussion? If none, all those in favor? Oh, sorry. That's right. I typed up my list. Roll call. Kristen. Hi, Sandra. Yes. Ken, hi Jack. Hi. Colleen. I Paul I Justin I uh for the motion carried unanimously treasures report. Thank you everyone. Thank you. That's awesome. Thank you.

Okay. Uh it's a little hard to see that. I wonder if I can make it any bigger. So make it bigger and There is no change to any of the amounts in this period. So, uh I guess there's not a lot to say about it. Uh the uh what I did was I took the the the maze and uh I took the tint off them and I opened up the October and I added a blue tint to it. So that's not material. The U so just to review the uh amounts uh we have $718,000 available for all purposes or any you know any and all purposes and that should probably be enough. the uh fiscal year for 2025 has ended and the accountants are starting to close the amounts and so we'll be making uh updates to all the green numbers all the the pro the guesses that we made and so we're going to start to see that the revenue is probably way more than 71 711,000 and that'll just go right to the bottom line and we probably I don't know about interest maybe we made more we have lately And so we'll start to see and then if any closeouts will also roll into the bottom line for this 2026 uh sheet.

The sizable amount will be the Baptist church because that was about $30,000 that's going to come back. So that's a large update. Okay. So we're probably going to have $750,000 and more. So let's uh let's look for those big projects. So Ken, I haven't seen any DS from the state yet or not, but has there been any revised numbers on state match given all the budget cuts federally? There been nothing announced since the last announcement. Okay. Ours shouldn't be impacted by that because all of this is based on revenue based on um when you're recording.

Yeah, that the percent matches is that my times, you know, partial concern is if the state is getting less from the federal, would they affect the amount they're matching because they need to make up a shortfall elsewhere? They can't because that's a dedicated revenues stream, but they could it could affect that. Let's say that the state match is going to be 20%. Then they have all this, you know, two billion extra dollars and they have thinking about additional money that they could then spread around. That's where we would lose that potential, but they did not do it last year either. So,

right. And that's not that's not worked into the numbers that we have here. All right. I thought that Yeah, thought that was the case, but just kind of double check that it's it's baked in on the low side. So, if anything, we'd get more. I mean, I think it's they tried to do conservatively. much bigger approach. So, I have a question because it's talking about October town meeting. I don't really see it on the agenda. I'm going to use that as an opportunity. Um the flyer for town meeting, I feel like we got to talk about that now to make that happen. Um maybe we could we could close out the treasur report. We can but that you gave me my segue. I had to jump on it.

I I move to accept the treasur as presented. I have a motion and second. All those in favor? Any discussion? I can write it down and then do good. Kristen, I Sandy. Yes. Ken. Hi. Jack. Hi. Colleen. Hi. Paul. Hi. Justin. Hi. The motion carries unanimously. I realiz you didn't vote. especially on these two.

This is travel.

So for project applications, we had one that was from recreation and they I emailed him because I talked to Evan about a month ago about it and he said he didn't think that this was going to go forward. this is on Milford Road that there must be some town on land that he thought there was conservation land and a lot of restrictions and so could you even do because I said what is it for? He said for recreational fields and so that that would if there are conservation restrictions on the land it's more likely than not that that could be used for that purpose. So they're going to have to do more research on it. And then I emailed Adam last week and I said um where do things because if you're, you know, moving forward, we need you or representative. And he said, "I can't make the meeting, so let's just scrap the ask." Um,

what's when was the official deadline? Is that it just passed? Was it July? Is it July?

Um, and you know, I was going to kind of getting again depending on what you guys thought, give them some leeway. And I didn't I he said to pull it and it's like I wasn't going to pull it. I decided to wait till this meeting just in case it you know, I didn't want to cut him short. um that the concern is it potentially may not happen and he needs to talk to him u before we discuss next steps and he will potentially try to do this next spring town meeting after he's talked to Evan. So this could come back. It's just a matter of they've got to get their ducks in a row to find out if this land is even um available for recreational active recreation. Yeah.

I'd love to find a way to promote better to get more applicants. I was just gonna say because you know July I think July 1 is the deadline that feels like right after springtime meeting. Everybody should vote on those projects. Everybody's thinking about they think they have time in October but they don't and they're gone that people aren't around and it's like without the graph the news we always used to put in an ad or a little article or it's still there just very high readership right but if we could do like flyers at the library the town hall and get something on GCTV you know just just website

or even like different uh you know grafting groups or Facebook groups and stuff like the has their own Facebook group. The the t the town has its own Facebook group, but like just trying to I don't know if we need our own Facebook group because then we can promote the projects we're doing, but uh I don't know how I mean that must be in charge of our Facebook group if we want to create one. But I think that would be another we need another moderator. It' be like two moderators or some like if I miss someone else can also go on the same [Music]

it's just the key thing is how many Yeah, I can absolutely help do that. But I think just another outlet so that we can just be pushing stuff out and not necessarily need um too much work, but hopefully a lot more bang for our buck. Social media presence. Yes. And I don't I don't think we have a strong one at this time. Agree with that. So, do we need um Snapchat? What's one Instagram? Instagram. I don't know how to insta. I never figured that one out. So, so Yeah, I might suggest that we have this as an agenda item for next meeting so that

if we want to allow a member or multiple members to be involved in setting one up that we can actually vote on it to make it an official thing a Facebook group. Yes, just as we could just do like a media group and they could work on the flyer. They can work on this and you know just our right. Yeah, we could certainly post on the town's Facebook page. Absolutely. We don't need to have our album. I we have built through William. The cool part about having our own though is we can celebrate all of our accomplishments each time they come up and we could do it on the town one too, but have a dedicated source where people come and just see it all in one spot. You know, I kind of like that idea.

It's also makes it makes it very easy for other groups to actually pin it on and just take and say, "Hey, look at this." Yeah. Share it. And and if you're on multiple ones, you just share the the post. Yep. Does um conservation have one? Planning and conservation does. I think I was going to say I think it's and does develop whatever that often office do that community development. I don't know who does it and somebody does it. I think it is controlled basically by the planning department and conservation department staff. I think with backup by the time administrator I think it's it's yeah it's it's

Kristen. How about recreation for there Facebook? Do you know who manages that? Is it the staff? Office staff? Yeah, we the office manager. Okay. Did they have to go through the town Facebook page to set it up? You can. Anyone can set up. I don't know the details of all that. I mean, I'm sure William could tell you what we need to do or what we don't have to do or

just follow whatever the town does and then do that. It might be tied to some sort of like platform that's like encapsulates all records of it because of over meeting law type stuff and record retention. So there might be something that makes sense to need to go to them, but at the very least we can figure that out. Yeah. So, we'll add it to the agenda for the next meeting and then um death will reach out to William to find out what the dos and the don'ts and the requireds and the musts are to do it.

And so, she'll have everything kind of almost ready to go. So, at the next meeting, whoever that's going to jump into this, we'll have all most of the leg work done. We could offer William to come to this meeting, too, but he doesn't have to. I'm sure he has enough meetings anyway. Is somebody going to manage the comments then on that Facebook page or are you going to shut it down so that you can't make comments? Quite probably do whatever wreck does in planning conservation because I think people do weigh in. So you do have to to monitor that or things we don't want comments on we just turn it off

and we can have it we can have that discussion once you find out what the actual process is anyway. Yeah, but I think it just get just basic information out there. before a springtime meeting, someone commenting on I believe it was the fairy street project and being like why are we spending 300,000 on this thing at Cle and I had to explain like no this is set aside funds you should be and he was like oh I actually support the projects I just don't like where we're spending money I'm like then you should love that the money is coming from here that means the town is able to do it without bringing it out of that municipal budget and they were like elsewhere they were I didn't know that they were separate and I was like yes as long as yeah people ask questions and don't just It's a good way.

We can have likes only. That just a good way to I don't think there'd be too much negative stuff because we'd be promoting, hey, get your applications in or hey, look at this project and maybe you can never too certain, but I think it all fairly positive stuff. So, there's always someone like we could have AI answer everything. But even if you have a planer, I agree with you. It's important to have more than one person that's watching it or monitoring it or whatever. So Beth and one of us for sure that you know it certainly doesn't need to be a full-time job, but you know, just to do an occasional Yep.

scan to make sure something if there's a question because will it send you an email if there's a question or you just have to see it? You can have it. You can do it. Yeah. symptoms. So you could do it to where somebody gets a Y

pain. Okay, good. That's a good idea. [Music] So that's that. And then I also was in conversation for probably about a month or more with the Baptist church and it was a painting project and that's why it was so protracted that they David Libby called and said we were going to do painting and the front of the church it's wood the sides are all siding like the vinyl siding but the front by the columns are wood but the painter said he wouldn't do it unless the lead paint was removed. And I immediately got my backup and I said, "Oh no, that's paint. That's paint. That's bank." So I said, "But I will ask." And Stuart was gone. And then was trying to like back and forth and kind of got some comments. So Stuart got back and then they said interior. And I said, "No, this is exterior." Long story short, this is not maintenance. It happens once. It's been approved elsewhere. We wouldn't have to approve it, but isn't it is an allowable project.

Well, what's the project? Remove the lead. It's remove the lead paint so that they then can paint. But they're not going to use the Rhino Shield, right? He didn't because And then I asked him, I said I emailed him again this week. I said, you know, are you going to submit it? Because I didn't want to shut him down either. Yeah. In terms of applications, timing wise, and he said, no, we're not. We haven't made a decision yet. So, they still don't know for sure what That's something that's I'm just kind of giving you guys what's on the horizon. So, this potentially may happen. They need to discuss. They need to find out, I guess, I guess bids, find out what all involved. Um,

well, it sounds like based on the way you just described it, the bid to us wouldn't be to repaint it. It would be to It would include Yeah. Because now they've removed all the paint, so it has to be paint. So it's like if you do restoration work and they have to rip the boards up and then they you still have to paint. So you because it's not a painting project. It's paint and restoration. That's why I was going to say but it's it's it's a real fine line and you have to really restoration with this one. the restoration it's subjects can be because it is lead removal

that stands alone enough to be like a preserv for the preservation of this historical building this paint needs to be removed one way or the other is that how lead is viewed I didn't know that oh yeah that makes sense yeah I think that that would be that would have to be usually when we uh advise people who are presenting in front of us how you have to frame it that's how I would frame it like this isn't a generic like all the paint's kind of worn, there's some rotten wood back there. It's like no, this is like

and that that's the way he approached it to me is that it seemed like the painter wouldn't even do it unless the lead paint was removed. And that's the problem we had with the tree barn because I kept saying, "Well, we can do this when Tim was here." So, this has been a long time ago and we could use CPC money to do it or we could get um Blackstone Valley detect kids. We we talked to lots of different groups. They would not touch it because it had paint. All these different kind of groups we thought we could get to do it, we would not do it because it was light paint. So, there's lots of rules around how to remove. I was going to say it's regulations and you have to be certified for quite expensive. Yeah, you have to tent it.

I was going to say that with the townhouse when they were dealing with the fire respirators and suited up. It's it's quite a a big process. We had we had that at housing and they were like we're going to do a simple kitchen turnover and they move one thing and they went nope everything everyone stopped you get as far as the rhino shields concerned they don't have a preservation restriction on their building right so historically mass historical commission isn't involved so I think if they wanted to use who was going to say no

we didn't realize it didn't happen I assumed all the We could say no because if we don't want I mean that's that's we could say that but that would be this group deciding that they're already having to strip all the paint off anyways which is the concern. They normally don't want to do that but if it's like paint they have to. So so so that's it'll last a lot longer. That's one another project. Then the third project real quick because the first time they because they didn't present they didn't have a today. Does that mean that

it's not? No, that's I'm sorry that didn't I didn't get that clearly stated that when I had texted him or emailed him today, I said, you know, just wanted to see where this stands because he wanted to get back to the church group. Yes. And he said, "No, we're not ready yet." So So it's not going to be No. So this I just again I wanted to give them as much leeway without No, absolutely. Even without a because I would think that would be pretty cut and dried so that you know if we missed the July 1 deadline, if you guys were agreeable that we could do it, but it's not going to happen until spring. If then, yeah, just wanted to make sure that I wasn't looking at, hey, we're going to find out tomorrow.

These are all three potential projects that may happen in the spring. Okay. And then the third one I've been emailing with um Tracy Shy, who's the new building inspector, that she said she has records that are 50 years old and older and the building department that needed to be conserved. And so she emailed me again, did it yesterday or today? and I said, "Okay, I can meet you next week." So, I'm gonna go after school and meet with her just to see what it is that um that she's wanting to do. Can't they use the town record money that they already have? Their town records?

Well, let's see. That's the town clerk. It's a different But it's just town records, but Well, I mean, that's again, that's for us to decide. I would think it should fall into the but I need to see I don't care if it's somebody else what the records are but heads that area what what does the committee think that because it's an assumption it wasn't I don't know that it was clearly stated only records from the town clerk's office and the town wall can be utilized these funds I think any town records the application and the stuff at town meeting was for preservation of town records was what we did the town clerk was in charge of that as a project. So there might be like an intern of town. Can he will Stacy Betty use the town clerk? You know, will they cooperate?

They work same place. They work for the same place. I don't see an issue. The only question I would have then is how much money is left? Well, that's that was one question I had for tonight. No, we um um but I don't know the exact amount. Yeah, I I can look in the second. Um, to me it's fine. If Stacy feels they need a different application and bullet time meeting, we can do that, too. But, but Steuart said when he was here last time that that was really not a type of thing that we probably should be funding. We already did it with the one that we have.

It's to me it's it's um, I'm using the wrong word. Archaic really old like the 1700 documents. Even if it's 50 years old, is this something Is this what our priority for preservation funds should be? Yes or no? It's us. We need to discuss and decide that, right? Or is this part of what their office should be doing on their own?

Because the way I interpreted what Stuart said was like he didn't say no, you shouldn't be doing this. Like it's not really and what I interpret that to be is like if you're down to a couple projects and you have a a only a certain amount of money, this is one you would put off to the side. But if we're sitting on 1.3 and it's like they want to come forward, they want to preserve records. Sure.

So, I'll look I think Monday or Tuesday is when we we're going to meet look at see what she's talking about then talk to her and then maybe go to the town clerk and because you can speak to this in a minute because Paul has an update as well. Okay. Um, in terms of, you know, do you guys, if we think this is a good fit for the funding that we have in place, is this, if this project's a good fit, then if they can work together, then we'll just use those funds. If we don't think it's a good fit, then we can say

the only the only brief I could think of is most things that I imagine as building department, you know, building plans, you know, those kind of records would be at this point in time better digitized than just trying to, you know, find them or Oh, no. You don't want because it's I'm thinking logic for now. If they're planned, you can't there's there's planned scanners even they don't have to feed the thing and you Oh, yeah. You know, so there there is ways to digitize it, but they're not they're not efficient to to to do that that well, but the there was I mean we have digitizers in each one of our office. My my main point is like if she's thinking digitize to preserve, you can't Oh, I got you. Gotcha.

I can read it really quickly. Looks like $10,000. Um I don't have the exact amount. That's what's left. Um these are the specific records 1975 and older applications for permits for building applications permits for swimming pools inspection certificates egress inspection certificates of occupancy permit log plans and specifications plans of buildings with public access plans and specs plans of private dwellings. And then she says I understand the application will be for next year. So this is more just, you know, for us to kind of get started discussing this. But I know it's not like a sexy one, but it is historic preservation and I think it's important,

right? I mean, that's just it. It's like that's what she can't digitize because Yeah, that's what I was saying. I think digitiz is a good idea, but it's not we can't use it to digitize, which is that's what I was talking That's a change in the law that needs to happen. But some communities have been in it's in the but there's no CPA police. We know that that's the thing is that it's this that's not what the intent of the law was to do. Somebody could sue, right? It's just like to you don't want to get for $25,000. Do you want to go through that nonsense?

Because what would that be? Would that be to pay for it to be distressed or pay for or like some sort of hardware to do it? Either way, I mean to me it would I guess you could argue any project get sued like we we talked about with the the ramp in the church and all that stuff. So it's kind of like well the frame here is anything could get sued but in this case there might actually be a case whereas other times it's like but I I think I agree with the consensus where this is something if first a small amount we'd be willing to fight for it's like hey you know this is short leverage existing funds then why not for sure

100%. So I'll talk to her on her Monday. Okay. So that's potential. Anything else under applications? So what so what will fall town meeting look like if there's no applications? What do we what are our traditional fall town meeting? You don't have to know. We no longer have. will be there. But okay, I just wanted to double check that was the case because we moved the at.

Yeah. Okay. Let me quickly. Okay. Baptist. It's I I gave you pretty good. Still not going to swear. 32,778 Baptist closeout. Um, records they used up one of their funds and there was another one that one was for 5,000, one was for the 5,000 was up. It's not on here.

Definitely use some of that 13,000. It was approved at the October town meeting in 2021. Sorry, we just extended it. It's already This is um been encumbered. So that's why it's in different group. Um the town records has $8,075. 875. That's the remainder, I think. Yeah, that's the balance. And that's what that was the question, right? How much money do we have left? 875.

Two points for me getting ready for one. Everything's made up and the plates don't matter. Minutes. Did everybody get the minutes or see the minutes? I move that we approve the minutes as drafted with any edits to be discussed during discussion. Second motion and a second. Are there any edits that need to be discussed? The only thing that kind of jumped out at me and was that when I do that the affordable housing trust update, I do say stuff and then it's not in there a little sad

but that's it. Okay. So addward put their name in there somewhere for tonight. Oh, you know why I didn't put it on is because we discussed up above on it. We had discussed the um agreement. The agreement. Yeah. And I think Yeah, we did because when I was listening to the recording Oh, it was left off. I get Now I get it. I was I was like I was not following you. Sorry. It's okay. That's not anything afterwards about it.

I usually tell you guys what the meeting was that I had the meeting before. I couldn't recall exactly what I said right now, but I can We didn't review the meeting. You I usually do this. I know Rusty in my old age. We can check. I can go back. We I don't want to change these. I was just in and that was my one. I mean there might be some really it'll be on the affordable housing trust. So okay so it'll be captured somewhere. Everybody watch every media. Okay. Actually okay then I I will suggest edit that we add a bullet that says um affordable housing trust. Colleen Roy provided an insightful update on

make sure you use the word site and was happy. She was pleased to give us an insightful. Yeah, it's it's not a a men's issue perhaps, but I'm wondering if that's the document has been fully signed. Is everybody is it fully executed? What the uh that yes, that was from that was in the top of it. We did not discuss it at our last meeting. So, I'm gonna I'm gonna assume yes. Probably not. So, the answer is probably the answer is probably not.

No. No. We I know I know everybody's voted to accept it now. I think we all just need So, yes, it's a it's a good point. We should get a signed document and up on the website somewhere, right? Yeah. We approved it and the question was, has it been signed? Yeah. Yeah. And the answer is probably not pro. Well, not to my recollection. I don't remember. So, we should try to uh get that to happen. Yep. So, do we what do we do we need to do anything to get that happen? Is that you're going to get that? No, I'll I will make that happen. So, that's okay. The document is that affordable housing trust that they need to sign it then we need to sign it. Is that Well, you both need to sign. You don't The order is not No, but but

I think I think both parties would sign it because both parties are But have they have you guys signed it? No, that was the question. So, Neither party has signed it yet. Correct. Okay. Let's just bring it to town meeting and everybody can be there. We can all just have a big signing party. Well, paparazzi. I thought this was I could swear I I'm not confident on my answer either way. But I I'm going to lean conservatively and say I don't think it happened because I don't want to say it did and then it right. So actually I think it it's you know from the Treasury point of view I would think it'd get better to sign it earlier rather than later

because there are some you know there are some provisions in that that might affect the the closing of 2005 or 2025. Okay. It does have to be notorized. No. Okay. I'm just asking. Yeah. Only because I have to come in tomorrow here so to sign something. Oh okay. Basically, I'd like to take that with me when I with Mary Lauria. I see. Yeah. That's why I have to come here signing a document. But we did reorganize and we have a new treasurer and it's uh Brian Lman and he's lovely. He's a CPA so he's gonna Oh, good. Who's the new chair? Excellent. The new chair is Dan Kusher.

So, they've got a better better treasurer than we do. True. Okay. So, the the April meeting, we voted.

Chuck Kelly made a motion to accept the community preservation committee grant agreement with the town of Grath and affordable housing trust as amended to discuss specifically number 11 and to include sections three and four and fix it propose to whereas second was. So this is April so nothing has happened. because it didn't happen. So, so, so, so in in May, yeah, I honestly I wasn't prepared to speak on that because in my mind it was put to bed. So, it was the the question was, is it signed? And that's a great question because in my mind it was put to bed, but I don't actually So, we still need to do that. Yeah.

And so, we can print out and sign our version and they can send out their I mean, y both sign the same document, right? So I I can I can make it we the housing trust will meet again before us so I can try to get copies signed at that one and bring a signed copy to our next meeting here for us to sign. That'll be a goal of mine. I just love the fact or you could just bring it or you could just bring it to John and have him sign it because he's already authorized. Okay. So you don't want it's not the whole committee. It's just the chair.

We already sign all that up. When you do, if you would scan it and uh just send me a PDF of it. Okay. That'd be great. So you can come back next meeting and say you have the 10 more points to change. No, no more changes. [Music] just [Music] I don't have the agenda for me on agenda tonight. [Music] Project updates. Oh, Lord. I have a big one. I got a project. I need two. Any patience?

Okay. Do we So, the the minutes did we a motion, a second, and discussion? We kind of got we discussed Yes. Um minutes. So, we did not vote. You know why I know that? Because nobody corrected me to say, "Did you roll?" All those in favor of accepting the minutes. Kristen, I Sandy, yes. Ken, hi. Jack, I Paul, I Justin, I approve unanimously. Okay. Project updates. Paul, town records.

So, with regard to the town records, I um had some conversation with Amy Barry, our new town clerk, and I I sent it I don't know, did that get into the packet because I know I sent it late. Um I sent it today. So, um basically she has a estimate that she got from um Green Dragon Bryer, which is the firm that they've been using since the beginning for these. Um What is the form? What did you call it? It was valuation forms. And they're old. They're from like 1817 through 1830. There's two. There's one is a bound book. And the other one are paper wrappers, which you know, they kind of not kind of they describe the process that they're going to do in there. So, um, you know, it's not bound or anything. And I don't know how often they're going to go into these because I think they'll still be delicate after they have this work done. Um, but at any rate, the total that they're estimating is 3,300 to 3500 for these. She was asking what the process was. So, I kind of walked her through. I said, since you have an estimate, why don't we just talk about it as a committee, make sure no one had any concerns because I know um the last things that were done by Candy were much more recent. Um, and we were kind of concerned that they really weren't preserving, you know, historic records.

So, but these definitely fit the bill as far as I'm concerned. But that's pretty cool. Doesn't get more historic than preivil war. Yeah. Before the townhouse was built. So, all right. I'll let her know that she can um proceed and I already let her know once um the work's done and she has the invoice to just send it through me and I'll bring it. for approval. If there's a book that comes out of those paper wrappers or whatever, I would love to see hearing for that one. I I was planning on Candy brought her.

Yeah, I was planning on suggesting when it's done if she could come and meet with us, maybe bring a sample and we don't necessarily have to open. They're really delicate, but just to see what the hell they are. All right. Well, thank you everyone. Thank you. Okay, Mr. Gravestones, I have been home tagging with John Fuer who's at the Cape regarding trying to do something with that double port double portrait headstone. Is Richard's little protecting thing back over it?

I haven't been back because somebody either you took somebody said that somebody took it off blown over and like was off to the side on the way home. Yeah. And I didn't know how to do it and so I didn't I didn't touch it. That was that was a while ago because I was like two months ago early spring. I'll look and see what happened. Um so he just says just busy and so I can't you know he calls me and I might go and call him I guess on the field. So I'll keep plugging away with him on that. So um but I'll also try to find if there's somebody else is just

you could also give them my number. So, if you're at school, I can just grab the phone call real quick and then shoot you an email or whatever just to help with that. Okay. So, Paul, was that the $13,000 grant? The records grant. The records grant. Yeah. But it's down to $8,000. But that was the $13,000 one. Yeah, the other one was all used up. They believe the other one was. And so clearly that one's still open. There's $8,75 left in that. Okay. soon to be less than [Music] they may not be enough. So they may have to come

but I do like not to get too too high but I like the idea of bring new accounts for more money towns preservation. I don't know how that work either. Yeah, but then they could both draw from the same thing. It's either keep track of Jan is trying to get on Facebook, but not Facebook on Zoom. Zoom. She's been trying for a while and something isn't right. [Music] I mean, I have it. Oh, is she a attendee and not a participant?

That's what Jack was thinking, too. Have you ever put on a child? It says, "How many people does it take to put on one job?" Six of us. How many people does it take? Somebody on Zoom. One, two, three. Turn the camera on and everything. Hate Zoom so much. Yes. Perseverance pays off. I second, third, fourth, and fifth. Well, I'm glad you waited. I've been here the whole time. Okay. Thank you. Good. Could you hear us? Yes. Every word you said. Oh my god. Was there any vote you wanted to say no on? Oh, I don't think that's great.

I'm so sorry. I would have just wrote down. I thought it was a Zoom meeting. That's too funny. No, that's good that you I'm here. I'm here. Good. Sorry about that. Thank you. Whoever fixed it, they got two points. You had three. That's Justin. Thank you. Or was it you, Jack? Okay. Thank you. Um 95 North Street. Kristen. Um, Adam gave me an update. He said that the North Street project is moving forward. Um, a bid was awarded and they had a pre-RO meeting and the hope is that that will be completed um this fall.

Awesome. Can't wait to use it. Yep. Right on that walking path. You walk everywhere that I noticed. Any questions? Thank you. Housing authority check.

I have a pretty hefty update. Um, we received two of the three payments that we've requested right now. Um, so I'm sure the third one will be coming anytime. Um, we are going to start our next meeting. Our next meeting is going to be pretty big for us, but we're going to go over all of our payments to try and estimate some sort of framework for how much we're using on average per year, extrapolate that out to see um if we might want to look at expanding the amount. I can tell you for sure as we're talking about potential spring town meeting uh projects, we most likely will be requesting the account be filled back up to 20. Um the the pro the policy we have on our books just so we can future proof it and once we're all off of it says once the account gets down to 5K it automatically whoever is the chair is their job to come before CBC put forward a project proposal to have it filled back up. So if we're down to that we'll definitely do that. And then on the on the more policy side of things, myself and Representative Meridian reached out to EOHLC, both seeing if they would actually myself, Dave Meridian, and our executive director, Amanda Brady, all reached out to EOHLC, our our different connections, to see if they would recognize our policy as a state entity. And all three of our people said absolutely not. They did not like the idea of recognizing the policy period because they didn't want to take ownership of it. They didn't want to pressure anyone into enacting it. They We all got different reasons as to why they were like, "We don't want anything to do with this." So, it's a policy we're allowed to have. That was one of the things where I kind of had to double back and I was like, "Wait a second." They were pretty negative. I want to make sure that we're allowed to do this. And they were like, "Yeah, that's fine. we just don't want, you know, to make it seem as though everyone has to do this. I said, "All right." And I get it to an extent because if, you know, there are municipalities

throughout the state that have executive directors and members who aren't as on top of things and may be doing things they're not supposed to. So, we have a town entity handing them x amount of money, then it could get shaky. Also, probably different towns would want different amounts. Maybe it's a bigger housing authority. they don't want more than 20 or small or less. So, right now, my next thing is I'm going to go directly to the CPA and see if the CPA and us can refine the policy so that it's something that the CPA can send out to different CPCs and say, "Hey, you guys should reach out to your housing authorities to see if they're interested. We'll already have it on paper. Then they can make a project proposal," so on and so forth. have it as a resource on their list that people can use it.

Exactly. So the state government side didn't want it. So now we're going to go to CBA. So just for my information, EO HLC, the Executive Office of Housing and Living Livable Communities. It's so much better than DHC. Yeah. No, I live in a world of acronyms and I'm the person that always asks I hate it so much. DHCD was so easy, but that's why you have to pay the taxes because they have to come up with 16 letter E O HLC started to become like short for it, but I'm not sure it's fully catching on yet. Yeah, it's just if you live in that world, it's not a problem. But when you don't live in that world, so I'm always the one that says

WTF [Music] go do work with universities. They are the worst acid people. But also what is what is the difference between insurance department and an executive office? Oh, there's probably executive office. I was going to say executive office is coming out of the executive branch. So the executive branch gets controlled by the governor. So she could say I'm laying you off but she can't lay off the other the department. It's all in the regulations and laws and what the change the change of the acronym came just as they hired the new secretary Augustus who used to be Sarah first state senator of this district

anyway we've got you know coming down the pipeline we're going to look at uh I I'm not I don't think we would request for more than 20k off this first time I want at least two years of data before I commit to the idea that we're going to be spending more than 20 per year. Um, but as a pilot program, I mean, this has been incredible. We haven't we haven't not received a payment. Everything's been timely. Okay. So, let me ask that question and follow up on that because you said you haven't received one because the last set of bills I approved, I believe there were four. That was last month. So, I don't know that I've seen a new bill.

I got word from Amanda today. Did they physically mail it? Just the three we requested last month. We received two of them so far. Do you know how much money is left in the account? No, but that's what we're going to go over. Actually, I don't know if you would have it, but we're going to we're going to do it just subtraction wise. We know we started with 20k and we're just going to see all of our bills we got so far because unfortunately because the way CPC is legally binded, I just want to make sure our account. We request it every time. So, we can't like see how much is in there.

This is get cutting it close with them cutting. It didn't matter because this is crosses over. This is not restricted to that fiscal year. I think they wanted to get it in one or something.

Because I because I think I I think I sent it because I do each one I'll say because I did got question it because she called one of them was like number 10 and then one place and then it called it another number somewhere else. So I don't know if that's what that this is if there's something that's still not paid email me or whatever and we'll follow it with Mary to see if it's been processed. Got I wouldn't be surprised if there were a CL we because like right now though because they're trying to out. Yeah, I'll get

and then they're trying because we still don't have new um account numbers for the money that was awarded they tell me, right? Which be would be for the next fiscal year. So even though their bills now starting to come in, we can't pay them without an account number. Yeah, I got it. That can't happen until they close. You know, it's like all these

one has to come before you. I'll get on that tomorrow. We I I wouldn't be surprised if there were clair because we've had we have a multi-million dollar state state contracted and overseen project that has been in the making since before I got on the board and we have a a quarter of a million security capital project going on right now. So that on top of we finally got near 100% capacity because we had we had two units that had been in dire straits. We couldn't even go near them. So we finally got them. So there's a lot we juggled this month. That would just I just don't want this to fall big cracks. Get on that tomorrow.

Because it takes two weeks depending on how you hit it to get the check. So I think it's probably likely you'll need replenishment in October. Yeah. Excellent. I'm sure I'm sure you know more demands coming up. Yeah. Well, it's been very happily it has been a lot of families that would not otherwise because we renovated a ton of family units that were unhabitable and were able to use this to get people in from shelters that otherwise would not have been able to get in. So, [Music]

um Cisco I don't have any updates. I need to another fact she said near now she might have an update but they didn't ask about Congo church.

So um they ran into a snag in that the contractor that they've been working with has decided that they don't want to be involved in any of the steeple work. Um, so they've been scrambling trying to find a contractor and um, they actually it's not 100% finalized yet, but um, the folks that have been doing the work at the US SGU are very interested in taking that on. So, they anticipate signing the contract with them, but um because it's so late and the season, the work is most likely not going to start until

So, are they splitting up? One contractor is doing part of the building, one's doing this steeple rather than that's that's the way he positioned it. Yeah. They're not complet people aren't completely out. It's just they didn't want to do that. Oh, the rhino. I think it probably have to do with the work. Um, how about the Unitarian Society?

So, they have gotten to the point where um they're going to be installing the Lulua, which is fantastic news. Um, they've expended all of their funds and are starting to submit invoices. Um, we had to get them from Jared the vendor forms for them to complete this. Most of the folks that they need to pay aren't in our system. So, they now have that information and they're working on it. Um, they did submit one invoice that we um could pay. That was for Andy's um two months of his services. So, did that get passed along? We don't have

We don't have um account numbers. I can't pay it. Oh, because they haven't set an account number yet. So, they got to get their their butt in gear and stuff. And Merrick because I called to talk to her yesterday or today and she's not here this week. Yeah. So, it'll be next week. Are they aware that they're going to be submitting a bunch of them? They should. I send the email to her, but she didn't get it because she Jared's aware. Um, no, Jared's here, but Jared doesn't set the accounts. Yeah, but he's at least aware that they're going to be coming in. So, give her a heads up.

I can call him tomorrow and just say, you know, there a couple of bills that because there's also one for the next project for Ferry Street that is $186,000. So, that's a big We need access. So, they got to get those set up. So hopefully they get that done soon so that they can pay their vendors. Um they're again the only one they submitted is the one on the end so far. So I expect next week we'll start to receive the other ones but it's exciting doing a lot of work. Okay for street

um let's see street. They have the equipment. Um, they're waiting on when the company can start. They're hoping the beginning of August with a completion date of late fall. Let's get it done this year. [Music] That So, Adam, He's got an update from our director by the way on the

She's watching. She hasn't grafted and I hope she doesn't Hope she doesn't have to watch this. She just said, "I requested three check. I requested all three checks but only received two. I emailed Mary the other day to ask on her on third. I know they're dealing with end of year stuff." So, I assume that she had got back to me because of that. I'll check my emails and see because it's it's all in one email, but I'll check before we leave just to see because they want three checks

even though it's all for myself. say for account one, account two, account three. So, and um the bill was $178,431.91. And I said, "Oh, by the way, in your application, you said that you were using $100,000 of recreational money. Has this been spent yet?" So, I said, "Do you want me just to take that right off the top?" And he said, "Sure. So, um, they'll get their money, but they got to spend their money first. So, we will be sending them a check for 78,431 once we get an account number.

Who is this for? It's for the equipment that it's called Brian and Suns and Medway. They must do a lot because I think they've done a lot of stuff with the town for the parks. Um, the equipment that they order, you know, all the the things for street Robinson based on reports uh all the data has been collected and the report needs to be assembled so still okay affordable housing trust

so we had a kind of a short meeting this last one um we reorganized we have a new chair a new as we covered earlier Um the biggest update we had with with High Point um Drive, which are those three affordable lots we got in that settlement, we are partnering with the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, MHP, and they're getting a grant to help us kind of figure out next steps for that. And uh we voted to contribute $35,000 towards the grant that's going to be reimburseable that we'll get back. And but that helps us in the um standings of getting it. Um, and then they're they're planning to do a site visit with them down at High Point's coming up. So, that's our next big thing. Do a field trip down there.

And High Point is not Highfields. High Point is off of Adams Road, correct? Because I was just that. Oh, I did not know. Is it the one that's on the hill? It It's kind of on hill. So, you you go in. So, it's it's the divided entrance. Yes. It's real near the mass. to go under the Mass Pike. Yeah.

And then there's like one existing house that got built around that that created a lot of issues for that existing house and that's how um and then it was a 40B and they somehow didn't get all of their affordable units built. So of those three lots, two are affordable once market rate and we're trying to get somebody to come in and develop all of them. Um some more affordable housing built. She has anything to do with the I forget the name of the project was clearance or Claremont. Claremont by the railroad. Did you have any MBT? There was a big thing in the free paper that came today about that. Is that the 40R is No, that's Millennium.

Yeah. No, that is not I think that's only 20% affordable. But it has affordable units. Yeah. 20% affordable. So we don't get the full SHI but they are not the affordable housing trust has nothing to do with that project. So yes even though they have 20% that's not the magic number. 25% is the magic number for and when they came and I only know it's because when they came before the select board we tried to bump them and they wouldn't. But why would you even do 20% then do they get something then for 20? No because that's all they don't think they have to do 25%. But but but why would you do 20% if you're not getting anything? You get other things. But I mean they are getting something. It's it's the permitting process. It's a few other things

that they do get some. Yeah. It's a it's a modified 40p type to go in as a 40R and offer this affordable number. They get right you some basically speed bumps removed and they can do a little bit more than they can get certain local bylaws and stuff and and that um those count towards the um what the hell is it called around the T stations the MT Yeah. They also likely wouldn't have gotten 9 million if they didn't have as many. It's it's another style of of of quote unquote friendly 40b,

but they got money from the state to do that. I mean, that was part of the big deal. They got money. So, why is the money state giving them money if they're not doing it the right way? Because state specifically is the right way to do it. It's not the way we would prefer it. If you want affordable units, that's the right way, is it not? If I had to guess, I would say they're probably close to getting ready to build and get it done. And that looked good state side to be like, "Oh, they can get this done right now." It's it's part of the law. Yeah. The Yeah. So, it's it's the law that Yeah.

The state says it must be a In fact, I think I remember something about they with the state law, we couldn't even if we wanted to put into the bylaw to any higher than the 20%. It had to be maximum. They're trying to again it's it's it's not it's it's about affordable housing. It's about getting um you know people near tea stations so they take the tea and they don't. So it's it's a broad kind of spectrum where but there was there was some outcry about no affordability component with the MBTA zone. There were people

know that that all it is is zoning that's high density near it. It could be all multi-million dollar mansion or highrises, right? It's it's density, not price. And 20% of affordable means 20% of those units count toward our interest. Shi, if it was 20 if it was 25, it'd be every unit full price or not counts toward our correct. And the rent as long as they're rental would not Yeah. But it's big difference for us, right? So we tried to negotiate them up and they wouldn't do it. Yeah. that the state shouldn't be giving them money if they're saying we need affordable housing and then they're giving them money not to do affordable housing. I I think

like I said I think it was just this was a get done I agree. I think it was also the compromise that they probably had to make to get this those zoning laws passed because there's so much like we don't want anything built. So it was like okay we can't add there's a number of towns that have not passed. Yeah. We can't add the affordability on top of everything we're already adding because then we're adding more. I'm not even saying the zoning. I'm saying that this fact that the state is giving them money to do this. They're still giving 20% about $9 million, you know, and that's not helping affordable housing. And if that's what you're saying with your CEO, what you would call it, 20% correct, it's helping the market.

Yeah. So, it's I would say it's definitely helping. It's better than without it, but it's It's not if the goal is affordable housing, they're falling short. That's that's my point. Fair. It's not the only goal for the state. Right. That's correct. That's that's part of the other thing. The goal is to have more units set up in such a way that

they're the whole the whole project more units set up in such a way that the majority of the people that are using it do may not want, need, or get a vehicle. They'll take public transportation that continues to increase the number of employable people that are in the state but without without increasing the load on the public infrastructures like you know the last pike. Yeah. Yes. That's a whole different and it's out here is a little different than if you're Exactly. Yeah. Someone who took that station to Boston every day for a little while. It's did it for years.

Yeah. It's still not something I would recommend. It's over an hour. So, do you know how many things I missed that night because of that train? It's over. It's But you read so many books though. I would I would do work on the way in and I would read on the way home. So, I got a lot of books read on that trip. Unless I was like, "Yes." How long were you on the subway once you got into Boston? Oh, I walked. I had I always I had a half hour got into the city. Yeah. Anywhere from 15 to 20 minute walk. So that was good part of it, but it's doable, but it's Oh, yeah. Any other items, John?

Um, for the CPI project signs, I have tried unsuccessfully to reach the librarian in Harwitch. And so I gave up with her and decided I'll find another way. And so I called the planning office, but nobody was there. Left a message. I thought, well, I'll just go. Guess what? I'll go the the administrator. And talked to a very nice lady. She said, "I don't know." But she knew exactly what I was talking about the signs because I said, "They're very tasteful. They're very nice. They're right by the library in the center of town." And she said, "I know exactly what you're talking about, but I don't I don't know who approved them. I don't know where they were fabricated, but I will ask around and I will find out." So, I have somebody who was nice and interested and knows what I'm talking about.

So, that made it. And then they put up another banner which all things just throw the kind of like who knows about this and you're going to get a million comments. Gorilla Warfare. Just they have a nice banner, but it's like banners tend to sag and do funny things, but and they have big I don't know if they're 2x4s, but you know those I don't see us doing that. And I don't see, you know, that's that's not a good I don't think that for what what I'm trying to I'm trying to find something simple that's easy and attractive and doesn't distract drivers, but it's visible um and can be reused. So that's what these smaller ones that I thought would like that giant sign we had to have

for the line from the town. Yeah. Where the Can I circle back to Robinson real quick? Oh the we talked about putting a sign up with like the beaver or something. Sorry. Sorry. No, that was didn't make my little You don't remember the beaver sign? I was copying my notes. has a salon, but since we purchased that having like that for the Robinson property with a beaver, I talked to Sunshine. She couldn't find that we've done all those signs. I said, "How many tens of thousands of dollars?" Stop looking, Sunshine. We'll go to I was gonna say, "I've never once been."

And she said, "Well, they're probably just under the town and they're just so Beth is going to go through." I say just find any more article with the invoice number. So she's going to start digging to find so I can say okay here is this account that we paid look for it there because it's all there. I don't want to have to respspec re I want it's there. They have done all these signs. They've done five of them but she couldn't find it. So it cost like five grand a piece. Yeah. I remember watching meetings with that and you had them built into their warrant. So like the the person petitioning it went and got sent. So it's probably under completely different names. Like the petition some of them we did.

Well, we paid them all but it was like if the Baptist needed a sign, the Baptist did. So it's under that. Um let me see. Well, we did the one we did a park. We did Riverside Riverview Riverside Park and we did the one for Silver Lake. I mean we did some of them. I mean you're right that we did that it was part of the we did one for the treat the the pill farum right so I mean we did you know we've done

but that might give you more direction for a good that's a very good point I didn't think of that riverview pel farm stone well the stone arch bridge might have been no that was that was no the um station house Okay. So, that's a good another way to tackle it, but it's can't find something that will look that way for those signs. Thank you. You've just got three points. Oh, I love it.

You need to get this side of the table is zilting it on people's intent to credit. Yeah, but I started the audio at the very beginning. Okay. So, the name on the sign should be the Silver Lake area. That's true. We don't call it. Yeah. Oh, I that's not for the future. That's who we bought it from. Oh, yeah. Sorry. But that's just what we refer to as Yes. But it's the Silver Lake Conservation Area. Yes. Okay. So, look. Good. All right. Thank you for bringing that up because that was on my You're going to see my little list. I can't read. I was going to bring it up, too, but you jumped.

But I re I rewrote my list, but that did not make the translation. Okay. Um, and then Lake Wildwood is still percolating. Anybody else have anything else? Motion to have a motion and second. All those in favor? Hang on. Jan, you get the vote. Jan to adjourn. I She says, um, Kristen, I Sandy, hi. Yes. Ken, yes. Jack, hi. Colleen,

I journed. Thank you everyone. 8:15. [Music]