Economic Development Commission - Regular Meeting

Alina Ammano Carl Morrison Laura Dio Justin Wood present you could say you're present as well will you will like from the town okay and then uh we have two people joining us remotely um they are you Hi Angela. Yeah. And Craig Dolphin here.

Okay, great. So, um, thanks for joining us everyone. Nicole Eier uh, is unable to join us this evening. She messaged me a bit earlier. She had something unforeseen come up that she had to take care of. Uh, but okay. So, this is tax day, April 15th. 2026. So, um we have a fairly it's not a jam-packed agenda, but um there's a couple of interesting items here. I thought we could um first discuss the um further discussion of the 2026 potential EDC initiatives. um starting with the potential EDC spring business meet and greet uh events and um then we can move on to suggestions for you know more guest speakers to provide guidance and ideas to help us promote business development in these very challenging mercurial and volatile economic times um both here here in Grafton and just overall. So, um, what I'd like to see is how we can leverage the very terrific, excellent information we received from Kevin Kuros, who is the central Mass regional director for the Mass Office of Business Development. He spoke to our group at the November 5th fall business meet and greet. And I thought it might be a good idea if we could bring him back because he had some

very specific ideas. And I'd also like to see if we can't um get our state rep, Dave Moradian, to come to that event. Dave, if anybody was on Facebook today, he just posted how he's he got two million in grants for the town of Grafton. He got things for Westboro and Upton as well. And I mean, this is what we need, you know, we need to do because the way things are set up now, and I'm just stating this as fact. I'm not editorializing. Um, we do not the EDC and a lot of people who anybody who's watching this might not be aware of it, but we do we are not a line item on the budget and we have not been since 2024. uh we lost with the budget cuts. It affected us going back to June 2024 when John Allen, who was the former part-time consultant to the town, um his position was eliminated as part of budget cuts. So, at the time when I met with our TA Evan Brousard, Evan said, "Well, I'm not saying we don't have there isn't money to do events." And of course we've done three events so far but uh we have to go and ask you know ask for it so that and there is no one dedicated person who is performing the functions of outreach that John Allen did. Now,

outreach for for what? Specifically

to actually have a budget and set up outreach for potential investors here in Grafton, potential people who want to do business. So, going back to 2022, 2023, he was actively we had a a big lunchon at TUS. I think everybody I think you were there, most people were there. Dave Moradian was there. Senator Michael Moore was there was very well attended and the the theme of that was Grafton's open for business and we haven't been able to do anything on on that scale and I mean obviously there are budget constraints that are affecting everyone not just us but uh William is William Blake who's here he's our assistant town administrator and William is you know stepped in and he's the liaison and William is excellent to work with personally, professionally. He's efficient, he's helpful. Um, but he's he's not tasked with performing the duties that John did. John would go around for instance during COVID and there was money to try and help out local businesses in the form of giving you know $25 gift certificates for them to give out you know especially the restaurants the dry cleaners whoever you know um we don't have that anymore and the visibility during CO for everybody went down so and we're trying to still three four years past CO we're trying to build back up from that so Um Kevin Kuros I think it would be great to have him come back because that is his job. He is tasked with you know trying to help us find things. The other thing I would the

other suggestion that I have is one very successful committee in this town and I'm I'm on it but the person who's driving it is Kathy Cedarberg who is the chairperson for the Grafton Emergency Management Committee. She has been just outstanding in terms of writing grants and getting grants. So, I'd like to start doing more of that from a business level to see what's out there uh to spark that. I mean, Carl has been Carl has been great in also saying, "Hey, let's bring this person in." and Craig has been great in saying let's get um some of these other you know some of the other folks from you know Marlboro Westboro and see how we can leverage that and replicate some of their efforts. Of course they're very different animals than what we are. I mean our last people they actually had Melinda Harris they actually had their own they are their own business which we are not and they actually have employees. So I'd like to see what we can do in the way of grants and you know some practical ways that we can help raise the visibility of Grafton as a good place to do business and also help the existing businesses in town and see how we can just for sake of argument I'm just curious so like let's say you know we we can identify grants that I think might be relevant to businesses now like the Massachusetts vacant storefront program which is part of the community onetop for growth can get up to $50,000 to help

close that. I think the deadline is June 3rd. Mhm. So let's say theoretically, I'm not sure exactly what the rules are, whether we can apply on the behalf and then just disperse those funds to a particular business or whether a business in particular has to apply themselves, but whether we could sort of partner with several and help them apply. You know, I don't know how we would identify those candidates, but I think something like that might be helpful. And we could do that at no cost and you know without having to even wait for a speaker because I I'm sure uh you know

Mr. Koros's you know presentation was phenomenal. I would my personal feeling about it is because he gave us so much great information that I don't know if we've even really distilled or synthesized or acted upon. I would be hesitant to call him back to get more information because I feel like that would just sort of compound the problem of like having too much information and not being able to act on it. I think like once we have distilled it and sort of found areas of focus and gone as far as we can ourselves and we then need help, you know, then it would make a lot of sense to bring him back and he's a fantastic resource.

Yeah. Well, I'm I'm looking down the road, you know, at bringing him back. Obviously, we don't want to waste anybody's time, his or ours. And you you bring a a good point which is hey we have to be very focused and say hey what about and these three initiatives and come to the table with certain uh certain things if I could um great points and I think maybe we have him you know we had Marorrow in and he gave us a bunch of ideas. We had that great event at the library which I thought was eyeopening.

Yes. Um, but maybe we have them come back and and maybe give us a map on how to distill those those pieces of information and how to how to utilize those programs. Um, it's a great point. I think maybe we just say, you know, we Miaopa, you know, tell us how to how to make this better. And I'm sure he's he's worked with so many EDCs across the state that he'd say, you know, I would do this first, I would do that second, and maybe give us a better map on how to progress.

Exactly. And maybe we could do something I' I'd like to put a framework around it so that we are giving practical guidance along with theory. So for example, um maybe and this is, you know, down the road for one of our meetings because we're clearly not ready for that. But um four or five months from now, maybe we we after we can work with Kevin and other people, Dave Moradian, etc., we could put together a workshop for existing businesses and also invite people who might be considering opening a business in Grafton and say, "Hey, here's here's what you can do. Here's things that are available that you can apply for, etc." and put that together in a very, you know, focused fashion and have some of these people there at that time where we can ask specific questions. And what would be also great, Carl, um, we have a terrific crew here. I mean, you're in banking and finance. Nicole is a realtor. Elena and I are consultants or we know about marketing things like this. I've been a reporter um analyst. Justin is in high-tech. Uh Craig is a local businessman. I mean his family is one of the cornerstone families in Grafton for couple of hundred years, right Craig? Um we're all over town. But

so we've we've got a really good group who and we have a lot of I think knowledge that we can impart as well as learning things as well. But um even from the credit side uh Carl maybe on one of these workshops you know we bring in some of the banks or the credit things in in town or we assemble some SBA program type presentation. Yes. You know, those are all I think to my point, I guess I want to drive home my point is that Kevin's worked with so many different EDC's

he there's got to be a magic uh map or route in which we can take that will accelerate where we are today and I think you know bring him back in have a workshop with just him. Yes. And and just say Kevin what what do you recommend to do this? How do we get some of these offerings through the state storefront scenario that that can we can we do that on our own and offer that to a say you not not to pick on a an a particular place maybe Cancun could be spruced up you know one of these places or that gas station next to the credit union the BP or can we help uh the new uh I guess there's uh potentially McDonald's is looking at the old um

yes the old pepperoni express Burger King all those things that how How do we help facilitate those businesses to come into town? Now, I found out there were rumors about McDonald's, but I found out because we we're next door to the the property and I didn't I wasn't aware of it as a member of the EDC. So, where where are the talks with McDonald's? Where you just looking to Yeah. on on the McDonald's front. I know Mr. Dolphin said it this last our last meeting he missed the meeting. So

and before that I heard it like at least a month before that but I was when I was told about it. I was the McDonald's had people that were in doing the McDonald's thing wanted it to be very quiet while they did their due diligence. They didn't want buzz about it then. So I was honoring that from because of secondhand knowledge anyway, right? But yeah, that's I did see people there yesterday and today they're just scouting the place. That doesn't mean anything. I just happened as I was driving. No, but I got a notice in the mail from the town that, you know, they were looking at the property to do some things or whatever. They applied for DBA, I guess. Yeah, exactly.

Um I guess it's out of the it's out front now because it didn't say confidential on it. Um Craig, any any word with that? Yeah. Um, thanks Carl. Um, so I I guess I apologize for not letting you know. Um, I did mention it. No, Justin said at the last meeting. Yeah.

No, that's okay. So, um, so I I know the land owners um, grew up with them and, um, she had reached out to me quite a while ago about, um, you know, about this project. Um, so I had given her some, you know, some town guidance, I guess, and some knowledge about how it all works. And then so she had m you know McDonald's was interested and then it kind of went silent and I'd reached back out to her and um the person that was involved with the project had had left McDonald's and the the person that had taken their place was kind of less interested in it. Um so she kind of rejuvenated that interest. She reached back out. They were looking for uh counsel. So, I recommended Mark Donghue um who's kind of like, you know, kind of the guy locally for this kind of stuff. He knows Grafton. He understands this type of law really well, land use.

Um so, McDonald's has brought him on board and I just spoke with um with the owner, the property owners last week. They're extremely happy with Mark and they're moving forward, you know, through the through the process with the town. Um, so we'll see where it goes, but you know, it would be great to see obviously something happen there. So, the plan is for that building to come down. They're going to move uh put up a new facility, you know, up out of the out of the wetland area. They will have the uh parking area between the current original Burger King building and um Savers. So,

they'll have some additional parking, which they're going to need. I think they're going to need some uh variance or some help um because the parking I don't think will even with that that piece will be um will meet the calculation that they will need. So, um I'm, you know, I just want to, you know, try and help as much as I can because, you know, we need to see this happen. And I'm hoping the planning board and the um and the ZBA, if they need to go, they will be, you know, understanding that this is an important project for the town and, you know, what's there currently isn't it isn't isn't a positive for for Worcester Street, you know, and in the local in the businesses that surround it. So, what can the EDC do to help?

You know, it's a good question. I think, you know, I think maybe attending some of these meetings um and just advocating for local business and that this site has been vacant for a long time and um for somebody to to come in and to be willing to invest, you know, a large sum of money into that facility and and into Grafton. um you know we we need that type of of development. Now, so having worked with Mark before uh on a private basis, um he also was representing the group that was looking to do something in front of the Wyoming Gordon facility and he came to us or they came to the EDC and asked for in a sense a letter of uh I wouldn't say endorsement, but you know,

well that's pretty much what it was recommend that we would recommend that they go forward to uh the planning board and the select board, Right. From an EDC level. Yes. Yeah. And I I I I guess I think that's probably one of our primary roles as an EDC is to like you said, Craig, is is to help facilitate businesses coming into town. Um to your point, that property has been, you know, vacant for quite a while. I I I would say right now it's an eyesore. Um, and I don't think, you know, you know, I I guess would it be something that we would be interested in doing? So,

yeah. No, I would agree. It is an eyesore at this point. It has been for several years. So, I think, you know, I asked um the property owner um you know to to let Mark know that that I am here and that the EDC is here and that we are willing to help. and she says, "Well, I really don't have, you know, direct communication with him because he is, you know, he's representing McDonald." So, um, you know, may maybe it's a thing where, you know, either you or I reach out to Mark or maybe we just send a letter of support, you know, I'm sure he would obviously welcome that. He'd probably come and ask for it. I I you know, knowing Mark. Yes.

If I if I may, two two things on this. Well, maybe more. First off, we are getting a little bit a field of the agenda item for the spring event, but that's okay. Y I'm sorry. I do I do want to point out though that the ZBA hearing date, the start of the hearings for McDonald's is Wednesday, April 29th and that is on the Grafton website for ZBA.

Okay. I also feel it is timely and prudent for us to send a letter to the ZBA public public record saying the ZBA endor supports the building and development of a business here McDonald's is a one we we would welcome in this space. So something along those lines that you know to the ZBA saying that we think it's from the EDC to from the EDC. Yeah. You know Yeah. Okay.

to the thing and I would just to formalize it. I would make a motion that we do. So I would agree. Second. I third. Yeah. I agree. I I am happy to uh take first pass at drafting a letter and then we can I can send it around. Sure. For consensus and editing. No, can't do that. You can't do that. That's an open meeting law violation. No, I No, I mean we

So, Laura, not not to not to interrupt, but um you know, maybe I mean we have staff here. Not to put the burden on you. You're welcome to do it, but I'm sure not to volunteer our illustrious assistant TA, but he could certainly Yeah. Sorry, Greg. Um, this is something that actually came up at the last meeting, and you did ask me to do it. I apologize. I've been flat out with town meeting. No problem. Um, so I haven't done it yet, but I can prioritize it. There have been town meetings. Really? No, the one on May 11. I couldn't remember if we asked you to do it at the last meeting. I'm not I said it. You did. I I apologize for not having that done, but I can prioritize it for next week. It just makes I I know that, you know, anything that we can do to help.

Yeah, I would say best foot forward. I would say if the EDC wants to get it in the public record before the start of the hearing, that's my um somebody or the EDC should determine one person for me to work with. I'll draft it, send it to them, get their feedback. Um unless you want to meet again next week. I'll amend my motion to authorize the chair to act on behalf of the EDC to work with William Blake to to get the language and stuff finalized. A letter craft a letter of support. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Well, that makes sense. I'm not trying to jump in and usurp it. I second that. Anybody saying all in favor, I guess, right?

Yeah. We have to do roll. Okay. Go ahead. Roll call. Yes. Roll call. Okay. We'll start with Alina. Do I just say yes? I Whatever. Oh, yes. No, just I. Carl Morrison in favor. Yes, please. Okay. I Wood votes I. Dolphin. A I. Okay. Angela. Angela in favor. I. Okay. Terrific. Okay. So moved. All right. That's good. I'm sorry I went off agenda, too. No, it's you know it happens. I mean, no, this is actually

Speaking of agenda, I have one more thing to add slash ask. Um, so speaking of sort of facilitating um businesses coming into town, I know something that's come up several times is um businesses saying that they're they've had difficulty with certain, you know, zoning laws and, you know, things like that, which I'm sure are not unique to Grafton, but you know, every town is different. I'm not sure if the zoning board has their own sort of like FAQ website like page dedicated to some of those things. So,

um yeah, what what we typically recommended is that people who have zoning related questions speak with either the building department or the planning department. And there's several layers on like who's responsible for putting forward changes or doing changes. planning board is responsible entirely by themselves for the um subdivision rules and regulations as well as a sign bylaw. The town meeting is the ones that vote on any actual changes to the zoning bylaw though planning what typically is heavily involved in that and ZBA can also make recommendations for you know well any board can that can put make a recommendation be on the town ballot town meeting ballot. Yeah, it would basically just be like, you know, interviewing business owners saying, you know, yes, we had trouble with that. This is how we sort of resolve that. Even if it's just advice is to like you know what the process is you know read this you know common yeah

you know available resource and then you know make sure you call several times and talk to you know x y and z you know or if it's just certain things that are just very difficult for people to parse out from the literature that's sort of you know step maybe just like in plain language anything that might again just be helpful for to people you know to navigate some of those sort of common things that come Yeah, could be could be interesting to see if that's helpful.

I will say typically I've seen there is development meetings when something is going to be being built that sometimes happens between multiple departments in the town to try to square things away and make sure things are complete before they will spend the time and effort in front of a board. Though everyone has every developer has a right to submit an application and go in front of the board approval authority without that. But and typically the planning plane department as well as the planning board itself has been open to having people you know come in and ask questions. We planning board has had people just on the agenda that wanted to do something come in just field ideas out see what the board's comfort level is of thoughts on certain aspects of a of an idea before they get fully through engineering get the application and application fees in and stuff. So that's stuff that we've done in the past. I know right the second the planning department is really short staffed but

right which yeah yeah maybe like again that would hopefully be helpful like deflecting some of instead of them answering the same questions over and over having some sort of place that they could you know direct people to yes for some of those things so many applications tend to be unique in their own ways so it's sometimes hard to put a simple FAQ together yeah I'm sure I'm sure there'll be a lot of things that are specific to the itself. But is there any record, Laura, of um just because I know that that's come up, but I don't remember the context about like where we've seen that like complaint come up or where people have mentioned that.

It's it's an ongoing theme, you know. So, it's it's not just any one specific thing. This is Do we have any any like person that like we could talk to about what what are some of the problems they had or do we have like a list anywhere or record of like what are what are some of the issues that people have had when trying to open a business here? Yes. I mean we've had well we've had individual um things not so much with the ZBA but with the former um buildings inspector. Uh there was a lot of criticism about the process being ownorous, expensive, and so on and on. So we

relevant anymore since we have the new zoning. No, no, we haven't really heard anything recently that's calmed down now. Um Angela noted in the past that that you know at one of our prior meetings, well that's in the past, but that perception can still linger, right? So, and if people aren't in the loop, Yeah. they might think, you know, we have the reputation that we've now got to live down as being hard to do business with. Right. Right. Um, so maybe Yeah. I don't know. Maybe I could talk to the new zoning person or something and get a sense of what what I forget. What is his what is his name? Her name is Tracy Shy.

Her name is Tracy Shy. Yeah. Um, and the current the new buildings inspector person is Tracer Sharky. So, she gets it all. Yes. Okay. So, yeah. So, that's um Yep. Just one thing to add on to that point. Uh, the planning board is currently working with CMRPC, which is the Central Mass Regional Planning Commission to update the permitting guide. Okay, great. I forgot about that. Thank you. Yep. So, um, I should have not forgotten. That is, I think, a more formalized version of what you're looking for. That will be helpful. Um, excellent.

But I personally think that specific testimonials from people who have gone through the process are never a bad thing and casual information is always good, right? Like I think that would be great because then also like someone could maybe reach out to them or stop by their store and be like, "Hey, I saw you mention that. Like, is there any way you could help me?" almost like bringing in the meet and greet like continuing on. Uh so yeah, what would be the process for that? Like say if say if I wrote up the text and like had like a layout for just like adding an FAQ page to the website, who how would that sort of come into? Yep. Okay. So, William, you seem to be the answer to a lot of these questions.

I've said before the EDC page is a little sparse. Um, we can add whatever the board would like to add there. It's just a matter of somebody needs to generate the content. I'm happy to help. I just can't necessarily take the lead on that. Great. Yeah, I have some content that I can add on, you know, just to say, hey, some upcoming events and here's prior things and we'd like to hear from you and uh, etc. So, let's um let's try and chat about this when you have time. I mean, I know this is we're coming into a particularly busy season over the next few weeks. Mhm.

So, I'd love I'd love that for to that to be like a formal like maybe like meeting subject um where we just sort of discuss like what we think should be added to the website. Um and sort of maybe more of like a strategic sort of Yeah, we can we can like figure out who wants to do what on the agenda for the May meeting. Yeah, I think that would be great. The May meeting is May 20th. May Yeah. So there's also a few fewer things I like more than doing a site map. So I know. Yes.

Um okay. So one of the things about the potential meet and greet just to circle back around to the original agenda item. This is all good. This is all good conversation though. It's very helpful. Nicole isn't here, so uh I don't know what she didn't mention anything in her email to me about the uh what type of outreach and results she's heard back from the uncommon um common cow on pricing for that potentially to hold the EDC meet and greet at that venue. for um

for stars on that. Craig, do you know offhand since I know you have spoken with the owner several times when their actual grand opening date is? Is it going to be in time for us to even host the event there?

Yeah, I think it'll be in time for us to host an event there. Um he doesn't have like a hard date. I think he's going to I was just with him the other day. So, he's going to um move his equipment over to from from the current location across the road um and then open and I don't want to put words in his mouth, but this is basically what he's going to do. I think he's going to open um reestablish the business at the new location and then um at some point introduce all the um you know the the breakfast and lunch menu. So um so the timing of all that um was kind of still um up in the air, but the place looks I just had a tour of it um probably four or five days ago. The place looks amazing. They've done a phenomenal job. uh on the inside and the outside of that of that uh old bank building. He's got a huge uh deck on the right side of the building which you really can't see from the street for for outside dining which is going to be really great. Um but the inside is beautiful and he's just taken that place transformed it and kept a lot of the um the historic character of the building as well. So, um, they've, you know, it's really, we're lucky to have Steve and his family doing this, um, in the center. So, um, so I, to answer your question, I think he'll be able to, um, what day will we talking about, Laura, for the the event?

Well, we were looking for, you know, the first two weeks in June, uh, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. So, that would be June 2nd, 3rd, or 4th. I'm tending to think that the Wednesday or Thursdays might work out better. Uh and then the following week would be June 9th, 10th or 11th. And we also have the potential to snag one of those. You know, if the uncommon cow is not available, we could uh try the library. I've had some preliminary talks with them and they have a you know uh a couple of those dates available but uh the library is proving to be a very you know it's very competitive to get

so the events but yeah so

not having heard from Nicole yet I do have a thought slashquest knowing that it would be beneficial for all involved to to have confirmation of us taking a venue or at least putting it on the schedule somewhere whether it be for their uncom new location or even the lever. Is there anything we want to do as far as pre-authorizing up to x amount arrangement that we can agree to have an event at the uncommon cow?

Um well I think we have to go to our town administrator Evan and ask if uh you know what funds are available when we use when we have the library we don't pay for the use of the library but if we were we what we would pay for is obviously you know any food and beverages so um but I do this is just my thought off the top of my head and I'm sure some people a lot of people will agree uh the uncommon cow in itself is going to be having an event there is going to be a draw since it's a new thing. That's what I was thinking.

So I yeah I think you know that would bring people out. The only other thing to say out loud, and I'm sure some people might be thinking it, is if we set a number now that we're okay for up to, we also risk the owner of the uncommon cow hearing that and going, "Well, I yes, well, that'll be great." And even though it's double the amount I was going to ask him, or whatever it is, it's always a possibility. Um, Craig, yeah.

How much did it cost us for um reunion? So, I don't remember the number. Um, but Sargon was great because he really backed off the throttle on the food because, you know, the turnout was was less. So, he didn't he didn't, you know, keep bringing out food and and charging us, I guess. So, I would say this, I can um if if you want to touch base with Nicole, if you can contact her and see if she's talked to Steve. Yep.

Um, and if she hasn't, you know, I see him all the time. I can reach out to him um and see um if it would be available. I I think it'll be open. You know, I think it'll be in full swing by then, but it's whether, you know, obviously it's available and if he wants to do it. Um and I can talk to him about, you know, some food options and a number. Um I think what we've been trying to do, and Carl was great because um you picked up part of the tab for the thing at the library meet and greet. Thank you very much. No worries. Very much appreciated. You're welcome.

I think if we're bringing it in under, you know, 2K, uh that's what we had done in the past. I know that going back, uh two years ago, the first one we did at the post office pub, that only cost us about 700 to a,000, and that was the one that was most well attended. Go figure. because it was in the middle of a very cold winter on a January night and people really came out maybe you know but I think they'll come out for the uncommon cow as well. So,

would it be appropriate for, and it might not be, and William like can help keep me honest on this, for us to designate maybe two or three people to be able to communicate amongst themselves as well as the business to set this up, which is as a less than less than a quorum, but enough that we can make it happen. and with the blessing of the current EDC that we have in tennis tonight so we can get this locked down in advance of our next meeting because I I'm hesitant to go all the way to April where the library is also going to be busier.

Yes, I know. Um so my suggestion would be um William, can you reach out to Nicole on that or can you know or are we allowed to reach out to her and say, "Did you find anything out?" Yeah, one person could reach out to Nicole and

Okay. So, I'll reach out to Nicole. Craig, um, based on Justin's suggestion, since you know Steve very well, and you said you see him all the time, it would make sense for you to be the second person. And then, you know, we just have to make sure that we're not duplicate, we're not stepping on ourselves between you and you and Nicole.

Yeah. Yeah. Let me know what you want me to do. Um, I'm also welcome to reach out to the tavern. I mean, that would be a great venue, too, and we can bring in Bushel Impact to to cater it, and we could do it at a low cost as well. So, I'd rather stay away from the library, to be honest. We've had bad experiences there, you know, getting kind of, you know, ushered out, you know. Um, and, you know, I'd like to see it at a local business wherever that is. I I would be comfortable if this small group where you have the preference of the uncommon cow try to get that figured out. Yes, I

a second, you know, a second option of the tavern and the third option be the library in that priority order. I'm fine with that. Second it. So, William, is it to let people do this amongst themselves as well as with the business? Is three people, Nicole, Laura, and Craig, okay? Or does it need to be two? I forget the numbers. The EDC is a seven member body, so three is not a quorum. Okay.

Okay. Then I I move that we authorize Craig Nicole who is not present and Laura to coordinate with the affformentioned two businesses plus the library including town staff to find a venue and specific date amongst the first two weeks in May like we talked about and with a the first two weeks in May or June June sorry and June like we talked and a budget item that is appropriate and designated by the town administrator.

And just to clarify, we're talking about either June 2nd, 3rd, or 4th, or 9th, 10th, or 11th. Yes. Yes. Because what, you know, after that it gets kind of crazy with weddings, graduations. I think honestly the first week is probably even better if Yes. Exactly. Yeah. If we could do the second or the third, I think that's a good a good target. Yeah. Okay. So, so I'll second the motion. Okay. Okay. I third. Would I if we're doing the vote now? Angela, I'm not in favor. Oh, okay.

All right. So, um, moving on to the next. You didn't ask Craig to vote and we didn't say how the vote Craig or not. No, I vote I

I don't think the motion is clear. I think these are just It's like spewing words and it's not it's really not clear. We're so far away from the agenda. It's just like a stream of consciousness type of meeting and we have no budget. So this is this meeting is just really becoming unwieldy. And if somebody wants to put together a motion and articulate it clearly rather than it just being off the cuff, that would be most helpful. And that's the reason why I'm not voting in favor because I don't think it's clear.

Okay. I have to say um you know I appreciate the feedback. What isn't clear about this? I'm not trying to be obtuse but I don't know. It was it was clear to me that we're talking about the dates in the first potential dates in the first week or the second week of June and then asking for a preference about you know uncommon cow first, the tavern second and the library is a third choice. And then maybe that

well Angela you can correct me if I'm wrong but I would say that that part almost should maybe be split into two things because while I I agree that I'm I'm fine with nominating those three people to to be point for asking the businesses about whether or not those dates would work and getting quotes for for the cost. Um, I'd kind of like to understand more about the issues that we've had hosting events at the library just because that would be my preference. Um, because it is free. Yeah.

Um, and you know, I would feel badly, you know, and I think it would also be kind of a bad look to say like, well, what has the EDC done? They've spent $2,000 on an event, you know, using up town resources as opposed to contributing. So I feel I feel like I would feel somewhat uncomfortable spending money when we don't have a budget. Madam Chair, can I just speak to that real quick? Mhm.

So what happened the last time there was an an event at the library? It was in the community space. The board of library trustees hasn't codified a policy yet for after hours events. So there was a hard stop on the EDC event. When the library closed, the event had to end. It's kind of a bummer. Um, but like is that something that we could plan around like you know the time I don't know when they close and if they're if they're amendable to if they have yet codified a policy if there's any wiggle room as to you know deciding with them ahead of time saying like hey this is you know would be a onetime exception etc etc.

The trustees have not codified a policy yet. I cannot speak to their appetite to wiggle room. Um I think it's a matter of having somebody there to lock up the library uh and set the alarm. um which is not within the purview of staff's job descriptions. I gotcha. I gota um yeah, I just wonder if I mean like one of the librarians work lives on my street and I just wonder if I could like ask her like would you be willing to stay late and lock it up or something? There's issues about

in general there's issues if employees stay late off the clock and we don't have the authority to expect them to be paid later because if there's something if they're not getting paid for that time and they get injured there's a lot of liability in the town of that not a lawyer no um I don't think asking staff to stay late is a feasible solution outside of like stay late like run back at like you know it's like a five minute drive maybe I don't I don't think that they're I just I think that one is going to fly somehow

I don't think that's a viable solution uh and I think that for the purposes of this board discussion um it should be left at that Sure One thing I'll say is I I named the three business in the priority order because for us to have a group of people that are not the full board approve an event that to me we need to have the direction on what that preference and why this should be as well as the budget. I specifically said to the TA's discretion because the town administrator's office

will be the only ones to decide what is spent, how it's spent, and if it can be spent. So their their ability for us to spend money might be $10. I you know that's something that they'll decide. Yeah. And I will say the other agreed other thoughts to say is I I hear Miss Au's concerns. We did vote to me that everyone except for her did say yes to the vote. We could have a vote to change you or resend the the previous motion in some way if we needed to. That said, as well, I see Mr. Doy's hand up. Yes. Hi, Craig.

Hi. I'm sorry. I I have to leave. So, um um so I'm going to be signing off, but please let me know if you want me to reach out to Steve. We're more more than happy to do that and shoot for the first few days of June um to have the event. Um so, you know, Lauri, you or anybody's or will welcome to follow up with me, but I apologize. I have I have family here from out of town and I wasn't going to stay this late, but I you know, I have to sign off. So, no worries. All right. Thank you. Okay. All right. All right. Good night, everybody. Good night.

Good night. Um, Angela, um, to your point, getting back to that, I think, you know, all we can do at this point is raise the issue of funds with the town administrator to see if we, you know, we can go forward. I mean, but if you have any suggestions on what you think would clarify this situation, you know, please by all means let us know. I mean, tell us.

I What I have down is a motion to coordinate. What I have down, Laura, again, this is just freehand. There's nothing that's been written or prepared. There's nothing on the agenda for this. So, I'm just trying to take this down as I hear it.

Yep. So I have it's a motion with an order preference one uncommon cow to the tavern and three is the library and it's outreach on this by three members of the EDC and it's to seek availability during the first two weeks of June and to have a budget item set by the town administrator. So, I have I have bits and pieces put together and so, you know, I can put that in into the minutes and I've noted that all have voted in favor except for myself. Well, you know, so that's what I have. I I think we can move on. Yes. Yeah, we can we can

unless there's an ed, you know, unless there's an edit, but I'm just trying to take it down in in live discussion, you know, and there's been a couple interruptions in the motion to help clarify that it's the first two weeks in June.

Yes. Yes. And Craig of course um is the select board representative to the EDC. So um he could go directly to our town administrator Evan. Okay. So will um anybody else have anything to say before we move on to agenda item number three? Okay. um discussion of new roles potentially for uh some of the some or all of the EDC members. Um at the March 18th EDC meeting, um Angela Hu mentioned that she'd like to step back as secretary. So, we would need to elect a new secretary at minimum. And how does everybody feel about, you know, changing other roles? I don't think we'll be able to do that tonight because Craig isn't here now. He left the meeting and Nicole isn't here. Nicole is the vice chair. Um, so Angela, um, did you just want to be a rep?

I I agree with you, Laura. It's we have three roles. So, it's chair, it's yourself, it's Nicole as vice chair and myself as secretary. And so, I I agree without Nicole being here to be able to speak for her role, it's really not worth discussing. And for yourself, Laura, if you're saying that you're willing to continue serving as chair and if no one else is seeking to serve as chair, then I think that's understood and that role doesn't need to change. Okay. Um, and do you just want to for yourself? Uh, do you want another role or just to be a representative?

No, I Right. I'm I'm not Nicole's the vice chair and if you're looking to stay as chair, then the only other role that's available that I'm no longer looking to serve in is secretary. Okay. So,

so it's just opening it up to the EDC members to see if there's someone else who wants to serve as secretary. I'll I'll fall on the sword a bit here and say that I'm I've never written minutes for a meeting before. I I am willing to hold that role at least until the planning board chooses to re reappoint me for the year to the EDC because that will happen after the election. Mhm.

And I'm as long as this board as chair is willing to continue to have at the very least hybrid meetings or remote meetings so that there's a recording. I can use some AI or whatever to help me just get the transcription and the information that would be for minutes rather than me having to watch a a meeting or to me having to type or write down stuff while meeting going on means I'm not paying as much attention as I would like to for myself to participate. So, if I can utilize technology to create the minutes, I'm okay with it. If we're doing it, no no no recording or no Zoom, then it's going to be a lot harder for me to to take on that role.

Understood. I Well, I I do not foresee us abregating cancelling the hybrid meeting format. Yep. I'm also open to being the secretary of staff wanting to write minutes, but I don't think they have the time right now. No. Yeah. Sorry. What's that? Okay. So, he'd just asked if I would write the minutes. Okay. I don't know. Okay. So, um Justin, you are volunteering. I am reluctantly volunteering because Angela has done such a great job and I don't want to leave the role unfilled. Okay,

I'll put it that way. And there is no issue with using AI, right? I mean, even Zoom has a or any of those. No, the bottom line is the the results of the minutes and the committee or committees, whatever that is looking at minutes are the final say in approvals. So if that needs to change, something's wrong, names are misspelled, there's entire mistake, whatever, it's it's a good effort. And I've seen minutes that are super small in the past that are basically we talked about X and that's it. But so I know

the law is a little vague on exactly what constitutes acceptable minutes, but we still try our best. Okay. Yeah, the Zoom like autogenerated notes are are pretty good. That's Yeah, I've experienced that. That's what kind of why I'm willing. I think with some editing that should be pretty okay. So, all those in favor of Justin taking over from Angela Hu as secretary for the EDC.

I think we're appointing Laura. It's the the EDC members are appointing Justin Wood as the secretary of the EDC beginning on April 15th, 2026 to serve while his term continues. And Justin, if you have an edit to that, um I know that there's a limitation. You were noting a a limitation on the on the time because of appointment and reappoint. I'll I'll just clarify my thing is that I'm I'm willing to serve as that for at least the next year or so for the EDC, but I don't know for sure that the planning board will be having me be on the EDC after the May election. My guess is yes, but I I don't know.

Understood. Understood. Okay. Um Okay. As for myself, I'm willing to continue as the chairperson unless somebody else wanted to throw their hat into the ring to do it. Okay. So, and um Nicole is not here, so we can't speak for Nicole. Um take a vote though. Do we need a vote, Angela, or just an appointment? No, you need a vote. You sure?

We're taking a Right. So, I think that what we're doing is is making a motion tonight. My my suggestion would be that we allow Nicole at a future meeting that she's at to be able to speak and let us know if she would want to continue to serve. And if she does, we don't, you know, we don't need a new motion. She's already in place for that appointment. Mhm.

So, it sounds like tonight it's it's myself and Laura who are here and who are able uh to speak to our interest and availability. And so, I I think really what the discussion just surrounds is a willingness of the EDC members to make a new appointment for Secretary and for that to be Justin Wood beginning as as of today. Justin, just just for clarification, I'm I'm taking meetings for for this minute uh for this meeting and so it would be for the for the next upcoming meeting. Perfect. I was going to ask you that for sure. Yes. Yeah.

Yep. So I'm So I'm doing that. So So I think that you know we're just trying to have this discussion here. So if we'd like to just clarify because we haven't you know we haven't voted, we haven't taken a motion, but ultimately it's it's just to make this succinct. You know, my suggestion is just that it's a a simple motion to appoint and for Laura, you're willing to continue to serve. So, I I just don't think that there needs to be a reappoint unless others feel differently. Okay. So, I'll take what you just said as a motion, Angela, if that is easy for you. And I'll just say second for myself.

Okay. Okay. So, it's a it's a motion to appoint Justin Wood to the position of secretary for the EDC. Yes. And then Laura, if you would just call out the role. Okay. Am I? Moist. I DO. Would I? Angela I. Okay.

Thank you, Justin. No problem. Thank you, Angela. Thank you for your efforts. So, Laura, does that take us to the next part of the other business? Um, yes. The only other thing um is if Alina wanted to uh talk about the polling tool in other business, but we don't have to do that now. We are at and unless you Okay, so we're at 8:04. So, unless anybody has any other business that they'd like to discuss, William. Madam Chair, I do have two things. Yes, William.

Uh, I am not sure. Um, now that I know about the email issues, uh, did the EDC members get the email I forwarded along about the Scarlet Hair Studio ribbon cutting? Yes. Okay. Um, yes. So, I believe that that's open if anybody wanted to attend that. Uh going back to what you were saying about talking to business owners who have recently gone through the process. That might be a great first candidate right there. That's a great idea. Yeah.

Uh additionally, I don't know if everybody saw the EDC contact forms that came through, but a gentleman reached out. He is interested in potentially building a belt manufacturing site in Grafton. He's acquiring a business from Haveril that he's looking to move. I don't know how the EDC wants to proceed with that. If one person wants to reach out to him to find out what he's looking for, but he has made contact with this board. Okay. So, I haven't seen that. That doesn't ring a bell. That doesn't ring a bell.

I did see it. It came through from a uncommon way for us to get emails and feedback. It It was from Oh, no. That's the wrong email. Never mind. Hold on. I thought I saw it, but it might have been from a different venue. It came through the website contact form. I can pull it down as a PDF and send it to everybody. Yeah, let's do that. Um, if you send it to people, I'm not sure if the email issue with the town server has been resolved. So, if you were I just found out about it about No, I know three hours ago. But I'm saying it might have been it might have been a glitch just for that particular day. So, I will send it to people's individual emails.

Okay. Terrific. Um, so who uh well once we see it then we can decide Yep.

who's going to reach out to him. All right. Um if there's no other business that anybody has. The other business that I just wanted to share, it's on the agenda is just an update on the past meeting minutes. So, I've sent to the EDC members the minutes that are in draft form for 2026. I do have a a notation so I'm I'm not skipping what Justin has asked for which I think is a a great ask which is for meetings that months that we did not have meetings which which are are few just to note so that when we have documents going up to our website that we know for example like no meeting in January of 2026 just just as an example. So I I didn't do like a word document that says that, but I I am offering that once draft minutes are approved that I can I can do that. So for 2026, we have draft meeting minutes for February 25th and for March 18th. So I've sent those to the EDC members in the draft format. if you could review those. I have um kept kept them in a brief format and identified general discussion. It's definitely not a transcript and I'm not seeking to quote people for tonight's meeting for the motion um the draft minutes that I'll prepare. I'll I'll do my best. I think it's it's important to have the words as accurate as possible. So, I'll make sure that that's provided to everybody in advance of the May 20th meeting. for the 2025 meeting minutes. Those I will be getting to to this group and we have I did prepare meeting minutes in 2024 that went before the board, but those were not formally voted on. So, I

will um bring those back. But my hope is that as we move forward into the next meeting that people will have had a chance to review meeting minutes and we can move forward note any edits. Um if people have any questions for me so that we don't have an open meeting law violation um to just write to me directly or if you prefer to just have that discussion in open session that's perfectly fine as with me as well too. It's um quick,

you know, it's just a person's preference. We we're just not trying to like have discussions in an email format um going back and forth and I think that's pretty well understood amongst our members. So, I just wanted to give an update.

Cool. Um yeah, just anecdotally, I took a look at both the February March. I think they look great. Um, I guess a question on feedback like what would be the way the preferred way to do it? Would you say like and second question being what kind of feedback are you looking for? Like would it be like oh there's like a comma missing like I'm a big proofreading person so like I feel like that's probably not even useful kind of feedback. If it was just like I assume it's more like content related. I Yes. My professional experience with this is that it's they're substantive edits. However, uh grammatical edits are welcome um the same. So any substantive edits and including any grammar, certainly send that back. If there's a missing period at the end of the sentence, that's you know that's something important. We want to have complete sentences. So

that it's just that feedback. I think the most important thing is that it's it's a record that people feel comfortable voting on that it's um it's you know a a brief version of the discussion. In our last meeting, for example, I had eight pages of handwritten notes. The type uh me going back and transcribing it, it's less than two pages. So, I I do try to briefly summarize without changing the nature of the discussion, but make an effort to get to the point of of where the conversation ended. So, I think you did a great job. Understood. Thank you so much. Could you please resend uh the things to me?

Yes, absolutely. For some reason, I don't I I didn't see it. And is I just turn it into like a Google doc and do like track changes there that you can sort of like see and accept and or reject. I feel like that's usually it. I hate Google. That that can also be done. It's um Word.

It's in a word document format. So you everyone should be able to if if you prefer to make your own edit that's fine and um basically the draft minutes are they are just that they're just in a draft format and certainly when we go into open session I will I'll have taken the feedback from people if they send it to me you know via email oneonone I can incorporate that and then send an updated version and I would note the track changes so people didn't have to reread a new set of minutes wondering what had what had changed in the from the initial draft. Yeah, very much appreciated. And

yes, I'll I'll just echo briefly for when for when I do my first minutes. I also would welcome any edit substitute or like there's a comma missing or you know there should be a semicol however minute however much minutia there is, it's still valid to me. Yes. And Angela, thank you so much for everything you've done over the past, you know, year and a half, two years in your capacity as secretary. It's been it you've been terrific.

Thank you, Laura. Um, so we'll we'll just we'll just work through this and and do that. And also, people should feel comfortable with if they don't send me back any track changes definitely in the next open session. It's it's a normal practice to just discuss out loud if if you have an edit, you know, it and that goes into the record. That edit is is transcribed is made and then then a motion would be made to approve the minutes. We are going to have a situation where those of us that are here on the board, I am noting like who's present, who's absent, and I am noting um if we're in person or if we're remote. And so all of that, like pretty much what Justin was saying, the meetings are recorded, so it's you can go back and you can verify as well. So if anyone has a a question and says, "Oh, I thought I was at the meeting." I think that the helpful part is all of our meetings have been recorded. So, it's it'll be easy enough to help give people comfort that the the minutes are being checked against a a recording so they're as accurate as as we can possibly be using brevity.

Okay. Terrific. Thank you. Okay. So, does anybody have any anything else? If not, I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. So moved. Okay, we are adjourned. Thanks everybody for your time. Thank you and input. Thank you. Take care. Thank you.