Select Board - Regular Meeting

All right. Good evening, Littleton. It's February 9th, 2026. Welcome to the select board meeting. Um, this might be one of my favorite agendas of all time. So, we'll kick it off with the pledge of allegiance, please. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

We're going to take things just a little slightly out of order. We'll hold off on reading the mail um until after um item two is completed. Um, and with that, we will start with the uh town clerk and recognition of Jack Nester's 100th birthday.

Good evening and thank you for having me. Diane Curry, town clerk. A few weeks ago, the Littleton uh Friends of the Veterans had the honor of celebrating Jack Nester's 100th birthday. And that day, we had a wonderful tribute to Jack and many people came out and and showed their tribute to him. And tonight we're here to say a little thank you as well again because we had an official citation that did not come in the mail from the um state um senator as well as um the select board have something for him. So I'm going to read um from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts state senate official citation. Be it known that the Massachusetts Senate hereby extends its congratulations to Jack Nester in recognition of the happy occasion of your 100th birthday. And be it further known that the Massachusetts Senate extends its best wishes for continued success, that this citation be only signed by the President of the Senate and attested to and a copy thereof transmitted by the clerk of the Senate. Signed by the President of the Senate, Karen Spilka, attested by the clerk of the Senate, Michael Hurley, and signed by our state senator, James Eldridge. This is for YOU as well. I'm not sure if um many of you

know um many many years ago um we had an official um Boston cane. It was given to um our oldest resident in the town and somewhere along the line it was kept by that oldest resident. Um this is a replica which we do give to our oldest um residents. However, we can't allow you to keep it. What we do though is give it to you for the evening and we do get a picture with you and the Boston cane. So this is for Jack Nester this evening. Is that you? Okay. Um, Mr. Nester, we also have a certificate of recognition. On behalf of the people of Littleton, the select board extends their very best wishes in honor of your 100th birthday. Happy birthday, Mr. NESTER. TRY FOR a picture.

Some photos. Sure. Yeah. I can do anything. You okay with us taking a photo? Is that all right? Don't worry. Here. We can come to you, too. That's easy.

Why don't we come this way? Cool. Yes. system.

All right. Next, we have um the appointment of new officers, Jonathan Puya and Steve McCavy. Am I getting that right? All right. Come on up, Chief. Thank you. I'm going to stop complaining.

I'm going to stop complaining every morning. Yeah, right. We have uh three different agenda items for for you tonight. Obviously have two new appointments. Um and then we have motion. I'm sorry. So I'm going to let Lieutenant Land introduce the two hires today. All right. Thank you all.

Uh thank you so much for having us all here tonight. We got a good showing I think from the department which is very much appreciated. Thank you. And uh from everyone else in the room, thank you for being here. Um yeah, so tonight uh Jonathan Puya, Steve Mccavey uh both new hires uh went through well, let me describe a little bit of the process. Jonathan was an internal hireer for us. So uh we posted internally and he had been previously working as a dispatcher for about a year. Um we've had some success. There's some other officers in the room that started off as dispatchers and uh happy to put them through the academy which we're going to which we are with um Jonathan at the he's actually week six of the Lynfield Police Academy right now. So he's by all accounts doing a great job. Um we're proud of him what he's doing in there now and he's got 24 weeks to accomplish uh at the academy and we know he's going to be successful there and then we'll have him back. But yeah, again grew up in the area, grew up in Shsford. um father was a police officer, retired in Westford, so part of the family and we're happy to have that culture come with us. And then Steve um another kind of local to town for a little couple couple years now. He's been uh the manager over at Town Fair Tire. Uh he's got a change of profession coming here. He's been with Townf Fair for 16 years. Uh dedicated employee for for them. But um so we're excited to get that type of commitment here with us at the PD. So, the manager over there, successful store, very busy store, brings a ton of management experience to our team. He'll be starting the academy uh March 2nd in Holio. Uh kind of going to push them out to Western Mass. It works for him and we're just trying to really get the first one that we could get a spot in. So, um their families are here tonight. Um you know, and we know that they support them as well. So, uh, just yeah, to here tonight to get them in front of you guys and, um, we'll bring them back and when they complete the successful part of the academy and and we're going to be excited to get them on the team. So, any questions for them, I'm sure they're more than happy to, uh, to

answer. I got oldest. Oldest. Yeah. Favorite color. You look very young. That's a question. It's not a question. Not a question. Yeah. Right. That's a good thing, right? A guest, right? It is. We're thrilled you're here. We're thrilled to have you join us. Thank you both. You're joining a great department. You are. This is a great group of people. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Anybody questions or comments? No. Just welcome to the family. Yeah. Awesome. What's your favorite color? Red. You can't say red. That's a fire. You're gone.

Tell me about it again. I think Adam said the same thing. He said red, too. all the hazing you're going to get that change. Blue and gold is the right comment. Good stuff. Welcome aboard. Yep. Thank you. Welcome. Thank you all. Yeah. Can we do a picture? Yeah, that would be great. Do we? Yeah, I do have I do have a motion. It's short, so we'll do this. Um move that the select board vote to appoint Jonathan Puya and Steve McCaby as police officers with the Littleton Police Department. Second. Moved by Gary, seconded by Matthew. All those in favor I

family too. It's a little the details. I'll go grab a picture and then Catherine and the kids want to come and join want to come up.

Awesome. You look young.

Testosterone. Come on over. Thank you guys.

Thank you. Awesome. Thank you. Congrats. That's awesome. Thank you. Thanks very

congratulations looks awesome tomorrow. Excellent. Yeah, we're doing it again. All right. Exactly. The good things just keep on coming.

Good things just keep on coming. So, I have a little speech written, but um I'm not a speech guy, so I'm just going to go with it. Hope you're okay with that, Jim. Love it. Expects nothing but So, 18 years ago, we hired this 18-year-old kid to work dispatch with us. Um, young talk about hazed. Yes. Yeah. Uh Brian has uh has done an exceptional job since he's been 18 years old for the department. We had some growing pains a little bit. We've done some great things.

Brian has created the K9 program for the town of Littleton. He's grown it. We're now on our second K9 uh for us. He has demonstrated professionalism, judgment, accountability, leadership, all those words that I just come to the top of my tongue for you, Brian. This is a very big night for the town of Littleton, police department as a whole, and myself as well. Um and it shows we have a big showing from the department tonight and we have big showing from his family. Um his wife Alex is here. His three children Brian, Liam, and Camp Kelsey. His parents Tim and Maria are here. His in-laws are here. Mark and Heidi Albert. Eric and Lindsay are here. And his entire LPD family. Um he's earned this both among his peers, his supervisors. He's earned this. So, I respect recommended his promotion to the board. I look forward to it and I appreciate your support as always. Thank you, Chief.

Right. Start crying. Old softy. Oh, he's ready for any questions you guys want to ask him. You say red color.

Thank you for having me. Yeah, we're very lucky uh to have you with us. Welcome. Thank you. Yeah, it's been a pleasure getting to know you in the department and um it's it's been a pleasure to watch you grow in the department and um my hats off to you. Chief mentioned a lot of qualities that you absolutely demonstrate. um you're a mentor to not just the younger members of the department but all members of the department and I think it's a a great relationship that you guys all have and uh lean on each other and um you're an example of that. Thank you.

Yeah, same thing. Uh 18 years a long time for uh stay in one place. You know, you had a lot of opportunities to go other places. Um, but uh, thank you for staying with Littleton. And I too, you know, since I've been watching you over the last 20 years, I won't say getting pulled over by you, but yes, I have.

I didn't. I didn't tell anyone. Um but no, just watching how you've grown into you know really um embraced community policing and and you know withtood some different leaders and different times ups and downs of the department and you've you've stood through it all. So thank you. Thank you. You know I'm a big fan of the dogs. I know that very well. But al but but more much more important than that I think you've earned the respect of me and my family. So thank you very much for being here. Thank you, sir. I can't believe you've been here 18 years and you still look so young. So, um, when did we get old? Shush.

Thank you. For all you've done and congratulations. Thank you. All right. Move that the select board vote to appoint Brian Casey to the position of police sergeant with the Littleton Police Department. Second. Moved by Gary, seconded by Matthew. All those in favor? HI. What's that? Thank you.

Swear in first. Huh? Swear in first. We do the swearing in first. Then we're going to do the pinning. You guys okay with that? Yeah, good stuff. You're not going to happy when we go to midnight, huh? Look at daddy.

Tonight, we're officially taking on the position of sergeant of the Littleton Police Department. almost 20 years ago. 20 years have passed and we started this journey. Always remember these faithful words that you are about to repeat before everyone here tonight. I ask you to raise your right hand, place your left hand on the Bible, and repeat after me. I I Brian Casey's do solemnly swear domly swear that I will faithfully and impartially that I will faithfully and impartially discharge all duties incumbent upon me discharge all duties incumbent upon me as sergeant for the town of Littleton as sergeant for the town of Littleton I promise to serve I promise to serve with pride with pride

honor honor integrity integrity dedication dedication and fairness and fairness I promise to protect I promise to protect and to serve and to serve our town our town and those that inhabit it and those that inhabit it. I promise to lead. I promise to lead by example. by example. In the hope in the hope all will follow. All will follow. I promise to uphold the law enforcement I promise to uphold law enforcement code of conduct code of conduct with the highest regard. With the highest regard and will never take it for granted. And will never take it for granted. I promise to respect I promise to respect the trust the trust placed in me placed in me by my department by my department and my community in my community. I will carry forward

I will carry forward the experience earned the experience earned through these 20 years through these 20 years of service of service using it to mentor using it to mentor guide guide and support and support those I will lead those I will lead and to serve with accountability and dedication and to serve with accountability and dedication I promise to perform I promise to perform the duties of sergeants the duties of sergeant to the best of my abilities to the best of my ability with a true understanding with a true understanding of the rules and regulations of the rules and regulations of the town of Wilton of the town of Littleton of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the Constitution of the United States of the Constitution of the United States. So help me God.

So help me God.

I hereby declare you duly sworn as sergeant of the town of Littleton Police Department, the town of Littleton and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts this 9th day of February 2026. Get him. pictures.

Yeah. Congratulations. right here.

Thank you. We've been there. Oh yeah, absolutely. High stakes. The social situation likely church, the library DMV smile.

Smile. All right. Thank you everybody. Sorry.

Basically by the first report. Yeah. Okay. Who's watching DCU? No, but I think his We might tweak him, but I think his his input is pretty reasonable and it pretty much aligned with what I was thinking, too. I mean, I was on the fence to begin with, but he made some good points. Yeah. Right. Yeah.

No, I'm fine with it. Okay. All right. And I think you're right. Let's postpone it. He's only like two weeks. You feel like you don't know. Mhm.

That took a lot of the business away. Yeah. Good stuff. All right, moving on. Elder and human services. Let's talk about the senior tax workoff program of England.

Um, good evening. I'm Liz Triak, director of elder and human services. I am here tonight to formally request that the select board consider raising the maximum cap of the senior tax workoff program from $1,500 to the current maximum in the state, which is $2,000. And I would like that to be effective July 1st, 2026. Um, making this change will um be a great benefit to our residents here in town. It will create more engagement with the program even though we have a booming bustling very successful program currently. Um I do want to point out that this is only for the senior tax workoff veteran uh senior tax workoff program. The veterans program is under a different statute and that cap is still at 1500 at this time. So that one cannot be increased according to the law.

Questions? Questions? Um funding for the increase is coming from where? The um assessor's overlay account. Got it. And there's enough in there obviously to cover 2,000 for everybody. Yes. Okay. The veterans program, the cap is limited by the state or by us? The state. State Chuck questions. Great news. All right. This is great. Are we increasing the number of participants or just the number that each participant can earn as well? Just the dollar amount at this time. Okay.

Okay. And this is all part of the hero act through that didn't have the the veteran. Correct. I'm trying to I'm trying to think what the state changed this recently. I think it was 2022 for the senior. Okay. for the seniors and the veteran one when they did the Hero Act, it wasn't part of that legislation, but it's probably going to be coming just to let veterans know. In the works. Okay.

All right. Move that select board vote pursuant to section 5K of chapter 59 of the general laws accepted by the town under article 22 of the May 8th, 2000 annual town meeting as amended by article 6 of the November 1st, 2022 special town meeting to increase the maximum abatement a volunteer may earn under the town's property tax workoff program for senior citizens to $2,000 annually. Second moved by Gary, seconded by Matthew. All those in favor? I. Great. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, Liz.

Charter Committee, come on down. I was like, yes. I probably can't because I'm on this life. Hi.

All right. Betsy Bowling, chair of the charter committee. Now I have a quorum of my charter committee here with me tonight. All right. So, the update is first of all um to let everybody know there is an we're going to have a next public forum which is an open house on February 28th. It's a Saturday from 10:00 to 1. So, it's just an open house. It's going to be here in this room. So, people can just come in and ask questions. We'll have some materials about where we are on certain topics and and where we're heading with some things. So, just come in, ask some questions and talk to us and find out what's going on. Please come see us. All right. So, the reason I'm here, so status, um, we started this over a year ago now or about a year ago, I guess. Um, we are, I would say, through the the meat of the of the document in a lot of ways. Um, the next sections deal with things like future changes to the charter and reorganizations of departments going forward and things like that. So, not quite as controversial maybe or or political. Um, currently we're at kind of at the if we knew then what we know now stage. Okay. So, we're and we said that in the beginning. We said we know going forward that we're going to we're going to learn things. We wish we could go back and we always left that open to ourselves. So, right now we're re re-reing some of the decisions we made prior about elected appointed positions and boards and so on. So, that's where we are. Um, the next steps are number one, the timeline, just so you know, give you an update on where we are. We're looking at fall town meeting, not spring. Fall town meeting. The current work plan has us handing over the completed charter from our standpoint to the select board in May. The talking to the consultants, the process after that is you review it, obviously make changes that you decide you need to make. Uh there's a legal review. Town council needs to review it. And then you talk about transition provisions. That's another se section of

the charter about okay so if this is what we're going to go forward if it passes how do we transition that in so if we change some of these things so the people that are currently in those positions do they stay or you know what do you what do you do with those kind of things so those are the next steps to get us to fall town meeting. So my ask here the reason I other reason I came besides giving an update it would be helpful to have guidance from you all um as especially as we kind of looking now at some of these elected versus appointed but in general sometimes it doesn't come down to right and wrong it kind of comes down to how we going to do this so for example some of these elected versus appointed you could say well there's a textbook case I say if I was a business school you know case study kind of saying this is the way I would go totally um unemotional and so on. This is just how it should be. Then you're as a part of the committee. Now we talked to a lot of these groups. They come in and talk to us and we live here and we know all this stuff. And so there's some things like well well yeah but maybe this and then there's the okay but there's some big rocks in the jar like some things the committee feels real strongly about are going to a town manager um having some of the the kind of the mid-level um department heads that currently report to volunteer boards that they should report in to the town manager so they have a full-time professional manager things like that and we want to make sure those things pass. So then some of these other things, it's like, well, we don't want that stuff to fail because some other things we put in that maybe we don't feel quite as strongly about. So that's what we're kind of looking at. How do we proceed? So we could still put, you know, what we hand over to you. You can still change whatever you want to change anyway, but we're we're trying to that's what we're trying to struggle with right now. So, what how do we make that call in terms of what do we put in is what we're going to hand over to you to make your job easier and to make sure we all get to where we want to be in the end of this. Um, let me see.

Yeah. So, I've heard some different things. Some people feel like um you go for the whole thing. There are some approaches that I mean normally these things go in and then they say like it was 20 years since we've done this before as you well know. Um, but that should be done every eight to 10 years, but there's no reason you can't do it again in three or four years and it doesn't have to be the next time. I don't think it's such a big deal because we've just gone through this now. So, the learnings and so on and now you'll have a charter. So, you're updating a charter. You're not creating a new document and so on. So, those are some of the things to to think about how we how we go forward with this. And then in line with that or in in tandem with that I guess the the work plan has again after we have a completed document we hand it over to you and obviously there's some back and forth with or not so much back and forth but just explaining to you how we got to some of these decisions and so on. But we've also talked about doing that sooner doing it like in March. So we're not going to have everything done. Some of these admin kind of provisions are here at the end that we're still working on. But but the the the bigger things, the things that seem people more interested in, um we could do a working session in March and go through it just to let you know that so you have a chance because I'm I hope you haven't watched all our meetings in detail.

What have you been saying? Yeah, a lot of word smithing going on. Um so to to have you have a chance to actually go through the document in detail and ask us questions. How do you what were you thinking? How did you get there? What what was the thoughts? And so on. Um, we would kind of like to do that sooner just to get some feedback from you, but we don't have to. We can just go through our process and hand over the document. The the standard is that is not the standard in talking to Colum this morning. It's more we finish our document, we hand it over to you, and then that and then you do your thing. So again, my two ask are kind of like some guidance on this at what level and then this do you want to have a meeting March? And I don't necessarily need a answer tonight, but I take anything I can get. I hope we have a discussion. Yeah. I mean, I think we can I have an opinion.

Yeah, I do. So, my my opinion is the more the more the sooner the better. Okay. So, I would much rather have a document that's,

you know, you acknowledge is 80% done and you and you outline the things that are incomplete for me to review. Um, I also will say that I am I am not just expecting but but insisting that I ask you questions about things because the whole point of this was we didn't have the time or expertise to delve into these things and you have much more context on them than we do. as far as the ones that are I don't know whether I should say use the word controversial but I'm going to you know would it be feasible to give us you know uh both sides of the story for elected versus appointed for example if if two people on the on the charter committee feel strongly in in the two different directions I would love to hear their points of view on why it should be each way

um and and in addition if if you you all feel pretty strongly that some of the some of the that that your findings are unanimous and important. You should please note those. Yeah. Absolutely. Okay. All that all that stuff open with all that. Absolutely. We actually talked about that before about having some of these things in there saying, "Well, this is here. Well, this that that's green. This one's yellow." Yeah. And if it's red, there's a disscent descent. A dissenting opinion. Yeah. Yeah.

Okay. So, I would um I would also think the joint meeting would be really helpful for the same reasons that Matthew said. I can't imagine you just handing this to us and then us trying to grapple with it in a vacuum. That just doesn't make sense to me. So, that would be that would be my preference. Um in terms of, you know, what to what to include and what not to include, I think that's up to you to a certain extent. If if you really think that the things that are the top priority um are so much more important than the rest of the things, then you know, go ahead and identify them for us and let us know. Um but I do think it's important for us to understand all the changes that you think would be best, right? you hopefully what we're going to get from you is if we do these things this is this is the best that we think Littleton can do with the information we have now. Um and I would like the benefit of that opinion from you all. So

yeah, I you know I I was kind of thinking about uh strong recommendations. Um the charter committee strongly recommends certain things we those are things we like to hear. might personally I would like to hear. I think the document coming to us um unfettered if you will or once we receive it the meetings to me would be more important a month later after we've digested it and we've got questions and we like okay we now we would need to really talk to you guys about you know how did you come to this what was the thought process um and then you know I at the end of the day I don't want to put you guys into too much of the weeds It's because um I don't know I watched a couple of these um not with you another charter when some recommendation came through and that select board at the time didn't want to take a recommendation that the board strongly suggested or strongly recommended. Um, so those things can happen with any given board, but that could mean that 3 years from now, 5 years from now, when this whole board's different,

this is still a document that's out there living and breathing, and that might be the time to enact or maybe there's other reasons to come forward with a a different makeup. So, um, I think we have we I personally value the board's recommendation, the strong recommendations. Um, for me when when we're talking about the appointed versus um elected things like that, my initial concern was I didn't even know if some of it was legal. So once I'm sure you guys have at least at least dissolved out all of that and then you're going to come up with, you know, towns we know that half the communities are this way and half are that way and um so we're still going to have a decision to make as as a board as well even with your recommendations. But um I I don't know if you have things in there that you can't come with a strong recommendation on say we we don't really have a strong feeling either way on X on this. Those things, you know, I think are important to us to hear too for us to hear as well.

Um even if some of us do have strong opinions on on it. So um this is great work. It's just an it just seems like it flew by for us and I know it didn't for you. It just seemed like we were just talking about this, but um I know it's been an arduous task and you guys kind of came to your own and got more comfortable with the process and and really developed the process and took it took it on. So I appreciate everything you guys have done and I look forward to picking your brains a lot more on it once we see it. So thank you. Yeah, I agree with my colleagues. I I think collaborating and and sharing informs us and it's going to help the whole process. It's going to strengthen it.

That's great. I mean, that's been our philosophy all along. It's always even when people come and talk to us, I said, you know, if you leave here and you said, "Oh, I wish I had said or I meant to tell." Just call us. This is not a I got you. You know, kind of thing. It's it's and you know, we want to hear from everybody. You know, people come and say, "Well, I don't disagree." Well, come and tell us. I want to hear. We want to make informed decisions. And and we're all I mean, you put together a good team. I will tell you that. You really did put together a good team. And we certainly don't agree with everything, which is a good idea, which is good. Um but people bring different qualities and experiences and so on. So it's it's really worked well I think for the town overall. Um and but also there's so and there I think it's a it's pretty confident group you know so it's okay come tell us what you want and people people will filter that in and take what they want and so on. So it's good.

Did you have a com? I've been at a lot of the charter committee meetings and I um greatly appreciate all the work you guys are doing, the word smithing and the discussions you have. Um um I'm glad I'm not on the board. Um there's a lot of work you guys do. Um from my perspective, I would say I think you guys need to dream big, right? Um think about not necessarily charter 1.0, but also what you would like in charter 2.0. Um, and on the elected versus appointed on some of the things, if you think take the politics out of it. If you think a board should be appointed um because that's the right thing to do and that's what most communities do, make that re recommendation and let us pull back and say for for the to get this passed through town meeting. We don't think it will. It's too big of a nut the way it is and we'll roll it back because I don't think we can take it farther than you guys do. You guys are the subject subject matter experts in this after sitting through these meetings. We're not we're the political body on this and we can kind of play that game more than than you can. Right? So I I think that's important. I think getting the document as early as we can is important. And I think probably what we should end up doing is forming a working group of a couple of us and a couple of you so that we don't have to do all of this in in public meetings because I don't think it will work um with nine of you and five of us to sit here and I I watch your meetings and nine of you work smithing it is impossible. Adding five of us will not make it any easier. But kind of like um if you would say like the House and the Senate get together and resolve the differences in bills, we should be doing something similar for what our vision is and what your vision is and come up with something we want going forward.

Anything else? There's so much you all have put in so much time and and effort and it's not just what happens in front of the camera. I know everyone's got, you know, been taking homework with them and and working on things throughout the week and then coming back and thank you. Man, there were a lot of people put in a lot of work. I think we were really smart to know we couldn't have done that. I also think we were really smart not to point one of us on the board. I think that actually has worked. I think that worked out especially in the beginning because I think there would have been too much looking to what do you guys want? What do you want as opposed to just Yeah, agree. we need to just do this on our own and then go from there.

So, but I do appreciate the fact that people again whenever we've reached out to whom you and other everybody everybody in town honestly has been very very supportive and and um given us information. I think the hardest for me some of the hardest thing is some of these decisions. Again, the collector versus point. I'm just going to put this out there because it's, you know, usually when you when you say when you do an organizational changes, you don't want to do it based on personalities, right? You want to say, I'm not going to do this because that person's in the job. Either they're good or they're not good or something. And so that's that's that's a lot of the struggle right now. Some of the some of the things we think, geez, it would really be better if we could change these. But would we do that if if there were different players involved? Or is it because we're trying to fix a problem? and that that these are the hard ones to do. I think Mark's right like like if you take the P we may not be here in five years you may not be here in five years what's best for the town and what makes the most organizational structure without the personalities and then if we as a we as a select board think oh that's probably not going to fly you know we can take it out and look at it again but I I do I would I would I agree with Mark like bring us what you think is best

regardless of the personalities we'll take the political beatings I mean that's it's going to happen we do already so you know already. But I mean, but again, promoting it's not just taking political heat. It's it's wanting things something to be successful. You put a lot of work and you have to invested in it, too. So, yeah. I think the hardest part about some of these things is like you had just mentioned, there isn't a right or wrong answer for a lot of these things. Um, so it at the end it does become a decision

on this board. You have a neutral recommendation so to speak on something. then it's at least it's giving us an avenue to discuss and review and say, you know, I think the time is right for this or I don't think the time is right. Let's push it maybe to the next town meeting, maybe the next, you know, so I I think Okay. All right. That's what I want. You guys have any other anything else? Madam Chair has done a very good job leading this room. I've heard that a few times. So, thank you. I would I I want to say thank you for all of your time. I know this is not like a an easy task. It's a lot of time and I I do appreciate your attention to this. I think it's important for the town.

I think some of the people on the committee knew what they were getting into and did it anyway. So, thank you for that. I think some people had no idea what they were getting into, so they stayed anyway. So, thank you for that. All right. Thanks for being fooled and share our share our thanks with the rest of the Gotcha. Thank you very much. All right. Thank you. Thanks. Awesome job. Yep. All right. So, um maybe we'll do mail next.

Sure. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman, members of the um select board. Uh I'd like to let everyone uh know the public um the public notice for the current vacancies for the town boards. Uh the following appointments are by the select board. The Agricultural Commission, Committee for the Exploration of Real Estate Tax Relief for Seniors, Economic Development Committee, Master Plan Implementation Committee, Permanent Municipal Building Committee, Personnel Advisory Committee, Sustainability Committee, Zoning Board of Appeals. One appointment uh entrusted by the town administrator is uh one member of the affordable housing trust and the there is an appointment of a uh a joint appointment by the select board and the planning board. There is one vacancy there and that's an interim appointment through May 2026 annual town election. Uh and lastly we've got an appointment by Littleton Electric Light and Water. uh one member for their uh finance committee. Uh sign up to receive public notifications for the town of Littleton. Scan the QR code on the screen to register or go to www.ittletonmma.org/subscribe. Community impacts, public safety activity, transportation issues, town meeting changes, public health concerns, town events. Stay informed. DPW is still seeking snowplow contractors for the 206 winter season. Packets available at the DPW office at 39 Air Road on the DPW website or call 978-540-2670 for information. Rates begin at $100 an hour and up $253 an hour depending on the equipment. Incentive signup bonus of $1,000. Calling all Littleton student artists. Help us design the 2025 Town of

Littleton annual report cover. Show off your talents and help shape one of Littleton's most viewed publications. We're inviting the Littleton student artists to create original artwork for the 2025 annual cover. Ignore the deadline. That has passed and we we're still accepting applications. And please uh I'm sorry. So it's February 13th. So Okay. Sorry, I'm a little ahead of us. Ahead of ourselves. I apologize. So, okay. Deadline is Friday, February 13th, 2026. Have we had any submissions? I'm sorry. Have we had any submissions? I think we have. Okay, great. If we hadn't, I'd say maybe we should kick it out. Yeah. Get Get the crayons out. Actually,

uh, email subscriptions or questions to l Montgomery.org. And please include your name, grade, school, and contact information. Uh, need ice melt sand mix? Get a bucket delivered for free. Sand for seniors, Littleton Elder and Human Services Council on Aging. Telephone at 978-5402470 and you'll get a bucket of sand delivered um by the EHS uh team member and uh for free. This weekend, I'm sorry. Is that open to all residents or just seniors? Uh, seniors

deliveries seniors, but if you go to um yard, get your own box or bucket. Yeah, I was just going to say it's supposed to snow again this weekend. Tomorrow night, too. Tomorrow night, one to three, the never ending. Um, what it is.

Uh, speaking of uh just the charter review committee, we had uh the madam chair and what kind of town government do you want for Littleton? Open house. It's going to uh tell us how Littleton's government structure can best serve residents now and into the future. On Saturday, February 28th, 10:00 a.m. to 1 p.m., light refreshments provided here in here, right in the town hall in room 103. Learn what the town charter does and prepare for review at the fall town meeting. Hear progress to date, research, observations, and emerging themes. Share your ideas, suggestions, concerns, and questions. Community input is essential to the process. Town of Littleton Charter Charter Committee. Uh here we have selected select board office hours. Um and uh the following uh hours uh going forward, Wednesday, February 25th from 4 to 6, Wednesday, March 25th, 4 to 6, Wednesday, April 22nd from 4 to 6. Wednesday, May 27th from 4 to 6. And Wednesday, June 24th from 4 to 6. All of which Mr. Rambaka

I thought Matthew's in the one that just told by Matthew today but I had I had mine last week.

Okay. Here we have a gift acceptance form um for the EHS uh COA from the friends of the COA in the amount of $300 for the monthly bingo pizza lunches purchasing peach pizzas uh one one time a month for the bingo. It's similar to the breakfast. So as those funds deplete it will be uh replenished for to to continue the practice of the pizzas. Thank you very much uh to the friends of the COA. Here we have our not a notification from the central Massachusetts mosquito uh uh mosquito control project and uh it there's going to be a slight increase in the cost uh to the town of Littleton and that uh Littleton's uh is is going to be $64,077 that will start sometime in m March when they will spray they look at the catch basins and things of that nature and then look at um through the Uh this is uh an expense that is that is offset off of the cherry sheet that we get. Um so and uh and that is uh that is it.

Thank you. You're giving an update later, correct? Your own what's that? You're giving an update later as well. Your own Yes. Looking forward to it.

All right. Uh public input. Does anybody have anything to say? around 25 Juniper Road. It's a single page. Um, so congrats on Saturday's meeting concluding with a balanced budget between FINCOM, yourselves, the finance team. I know that's something to celebrate and is a significant accomplishment in terms of the challenge that you had. I know several items will continue to evolve as estimates get finalized, etc. And that's why I'm here tonight because I hope to have you do some more uh evolution of that document. Specifically, I think the park and recreation presentation done last Wednesday provided significant from my perspective new information never previously disclosed, including uh the existence of a $740,000 net balance in the PRCE revolving fund. That's huge. Um it wasn't presented that way prior to this year. Uh also presented was 222,000 rounded um surplus for fiscal year 25. Again never previously disclosed with regard to um a surplus or a statement with regard to what the net amount was. um as stated um in their presentation, I think also really complimenting them, the identification that the field displacement resulting from the construction of Shaker Lane, I think they're dead on. Um they've got three fields that are going to be unavailable for extended period of time. the overuse, if you will, uh maybe there's a better term, but that's going to be a lot of use placed on the high school

fields and it's require an awful lot of extra maintenance for the multiple capacity probably of those fields and and well beyond what the DPW department typically has to do to keep those fields in shape and not let them deteriorate. like good for them uh PRCE and the park and recreation commission for identifying that as they're going to need money uh and extra work over the next several years. So fully support that. Um but I I don't understand at all other aspects of what I heard during that presentation and I'm going to ask you to open up and look back into that. Um, I've been on this campaign as some of you know, uh, Park and Wreck uses a lot of the town's assets along Lake being the most recent one I brought up in the last two years. They haven't previously until a year ago paid any money towards use of that. Um, and I thought that was wrong and I'm gratefully for the for the money that park and rec commissioners have taken on to to get some money for that. um maintaining Long Lake but similarly I find the same situation exists and that is the DPW budget spends all the money maintain all the fields and so the general fund has all the expense and the revolving fund has all the revenue that goes to a bottom line that up until this year wasn't identified as having a net balance period full stop now to disclose it's in excess of $700,000 in one year was in excess of 200k with all the challenges that were this year's budget and the future next several years. I I think that you folks

should be and fin should be having a joint meeting with park and recck commission or yourselves just to figure out does this seem right or shouldn't park and wreck revolving fund receive a charge from the general budget specifically DPW for the substantial amount of money that the general fund pays to maintain those fields that are used by those revenue generating you know, programs that PRCE runs and they do a great job. But, but they should also be paying for it. Um, I think one of you took note as was presented that um they're going to because of the budget cuts that were done prior to you getting involved with FinCom, they were going to reduce uh special events by two events. and they basically cited a lack of money coming from the budget cuts. That doesn't wash from my perspective with regard to a surplus in excess of 200 grand. Doesn't wash with regards to a $700,000 balance in the revolving fund that was never previously disclosed. Doesn't make any sense to me at all. So, those are specific things that I think don't make sense within their own set of numbers. uh outside of their set of numbers. I think you also heard LCTV clearly state in their presentation probably not going to be able to self-fund themselves after this year. I've looked at numbers. I'm not saying they're your numbers, but I've looked at a separate document. I question they have enough money to fund themselves for fiscal year, you know, 27. So, I'm not going to attempt to do your job of uh reviewing the numbers and validating

them along with income and determining how to spend fiscal year or not spend but make bring forward a uh a budget to town meeting. I'm not going to attempt to do that. But I do think and I've tried to list a couple of these examples to to really ask you give serious consideration. The future budgets that you face in your forecasted budget books are pretty daunting and identifying that the park and wreck revolving fund should be charged for some expenses that are currently you know borne by the general fund I think are worthy of your time. So thank you for listening. Single space, huh? Thanks, Rob. Pardon?

Single space. So, I I I don't really want to respond to Rob's comments, but there was a a long time ago, there was anou drafted between highway, school, and park and wreck. That probably needs to be revisited and it probably should be one of our goals for next year if not sooner to correct to reopen that cuz it had it's probably at least six years old now by by now. Do you think it went away when the enterprise went away? We just I don't know. I don't know if it I don't know what ever happened to it, but we probably need to revisit it um and reopen it.

Went away then? No, it's just we couldn't get together with the PRC, the commissioners. Oh, I see. Okay.

Right. Uh public input or no, we did that part. Members updates. Um, so as has been alluded to a couple times, we've had um we had Super Saturday and I just wanted to thank um all the employees who came and presented and uh recorded and broadcast and fed us. Um and um I thought it was a a really good um meeting as good as any Saturday 9 to3 meeting can get. So thank you for that. Um I have them all written out here. There we go. All right. Um ah and um to Justin McCarthy and Janine Wood also for giving us part some of their time on on a Saturday morning. Um, I went to Tim Makowsky's uh, goodbye gathering. Um, it was really, really well attended. There's a really neat cake. Um, and, um, he seemed, uh, really excited for his opportunity and act. He's already started, I guess, and, um, we'll, uh, wish him all the best. Um, and, uh, I believe the position has been posted at this point. um

this week.

This week it's going up. Okay. Uh I had office hours last week. Um thank you to Rob who showed up. Uh let's see. Went to the charter committee on February 2nd. We just covered that. I will go back into it. Um, a couple things that I've been working on behind the scenes is I've heard um from several residents now that um they would like to understand what the town's policy is visav ICE. Um, and so I've been looking at that. Um, I don't know if everybody knows the schools came out with a statement on Friday. Um, and then the governor has had an executive order. So things are seem to be in motion um, a lot. But I've been looking at um other towns policies and looking at what they're doing and um trying to see what uh what might make sense for Littleton and I'll bring that forward um as a something for us to discuss officially soon. Uh let's see. Yeah, that's pretty much it for me. I just I wanted to highlight um the RAD classes that the Littleton Police Department runs. Um my some of my family members took them. They were they were very valuable. I know that they've been very well attended lately and I was reminded of that at Super Saturday when uh Chief Pard talked about it. So if I would recommend that anybody who's interested in self-defense and it's basically very practical information, I highly recommend it. And I'm sure that if you go to the Littleton Facebook page or website, the police department Facebook page, website, you can find out where the class is.

So, first I wanted to thank whoever put this agenda together because this is like the most positive and warm meeting that we've ever had. So, thank you. Um I think it's Tony. Yeah, it is. So, thank you, Tony. Um you can put together all the agendas. Um on um all capital's yelling at us.

On January 29th, I attended uh M the the regional h MAPC Magic through has been holding uh regular affordable housing trust meetings with the affordable housing trusts in the area. Uh Littleton hosted it at the at the library um on January 29th. Uh there were about 30 different 30 people in attendance from various communities. Thank you for LCTV for showing up and helping with the audio vis video recording the meeting. It's up on the town website. Um thank you for Marin Tuhill and Marian here. they presented um on what the Littleton did for the small grants which is like like we're all the communities were very impressed and u want to figure out how to do them do something similar themselves. So um so good luck to all of those on their grant applications. Um I wanted to thank Anna Houston who recently resigned for the planning board for her eight years of service on the planning board. she will be missed and good luck to Anna in her future endeavors. Also, um we had two veterans pass away in January. Uh Kenneth Wy, a Korean War Army veteran, and William Soberg, a Vietnam War veteran from the US Marines. I wanted to express my condolences to their families and thank them for their service. Go ahead.

We are appreciative all the work that the staff did and and all those that uh got us through Saturday. So I definitely want to make sure that that's extended. Um missed the last meeting and didn't go over the uh the MMA, but uh it um was outrageously cold.

It was outrageously cold. I I just I I have gotten more out of the MMA conference um from an educational standpoint when it was back at the Hinds and uh it's just it's so massive. The rooms, you know, I don't know. I just I didn't think it presented well. Um but one of the big biggest benefits of that conference is the conversations you have in the hallways or in the in the um convention hall, you know, the trade show. Um, so I did have some some good conversations with some some members of different communities. Um, one that was intriguing was town of Andover had their their mobile town hall and I was asking them like, "Do you use it?" And they use it quite a bit and they go to Saturday soccer games and ball fields and

yeah, it was it was kind of interesting. They got a grant for it and uh they said what what it would cost to do one. So, I'm not bringing that forward. Well, maybe we could call it the fire departments. What about the steels budget? They haven't had good luck with big trucks. I wouldn't Yeah, fair. Oh man. But that's thank you guys as well because uh a lot of time and effort went into the budget and some good conversations that were had. I'll second all of that you said on the MMA because it's kind of nice when you go to there because when you're sitting here you think oh my god all these problems we have and you're overwhelmed and then you go to all these other communities like Littleton's not so bad right

um a lot of the same things I crossed off the list I I did uh attend the um budget breakfast uh and was there uh with Jim and a couple of other members of fin and departments. Uh looks little looks good as far as budget goes. I think we good or bad our numbers are down which obviously cost the town less when we're putting people into the tech. Um but overall the budget increased because of the state. I mean that it's just the way it's going to be. So we can't some things that are out of the control of uh the tech. um and our community. But um their budget is in order. They do a great job. They're lean and mean. I believe they said they they come across at 1% over their

their threshold of what they have to spend to get money from the state where a lot of communities are 15 to 30% a lot of the other schools in the state. So they're very cognizant and stewards of the the budget. Um what else? Once again, Super Saturday. fantastic. Um it's it's uh a in the all the whole month of January just a great month to really see what what's going on with our our financial health. And I think these things um our budget cycle uh that that Jim's put together and and how we how we operate keeps us ahead of a lot of the surrounding communities that um at the Tech Breakfast were all a lot of communities and I I believe every table we looked at is facing an override or has faced an override within the last year. Um whether either cutting personnel, teachers, programs. Um, so it's it's good to know that Littleton's on top of this as much as we can be. Um, big news is coming. Um, I'm going to let Jim do it during his update, but um, some good good things um, coming to Littleton. So, listen to his update. I think a lot of people will be happy to hear some of the uh, some business news. Um, and I just want to thank J&J's Catering, a new business obviously across the street for catering on Saturday.

Is it that? Okay, great. Let's move on. Appointments. Elizabeth Donigan to the sustainability committee for a term expiring June 30th, 2028. I did talk to um Charlotte Dolan's well texted and um she said that she and Sarah had discussed it and they're the co-chairs of sustainability and they're they're good with it. Anybody have any questions or concerns?

No. Good news. Let's go. Thank you for volunteering. Yep. Move that the select board vote to appoint Elizabeth Donigan to the sustainability committee for a term expiring June 30th, 2028. Second. Moved by Gary, seconded by Matthew. All those in favor? I get sworn in. Libby. Yes. Please get sworn in. All right. Licensing GW Archer amending the liquor license. Thinking. Hi, hi folks. Hey guy.

Hello. Gary Archer, GW Archer in 519 King Street, Littleton. Um, first of all, I want to I'm the owner of the company, by the way. I've had it for 30 years. Um, my dad had for 30. We've been in town for 60 years. So, uh, I just want to start by apologizing. The last meeting, um, you had a Zoom meeting during the snowstorm. I was working that storm, plowing, keeping up, and went to bed just extremely exhausted, and next day I woke up and realized I had missed the Zoom meeting. So, I apologize for that. And I I talked to you as well, and I sat down until it blew it. So, I'm sorry about that. That was that was a tough uh storm and uh I was glad to get through that. All right, we'll start using your gas again. Thank you.

Tough crowd. I know. So, uh, I'm here, um, to ask the board if you were to amend my, um, my beer and wine license. I have, uh, I currently, um, sell package beers, six-packs, 12-packs, 30 packs. Um, I would like to carry singles, and the reason being is I I want to be able to compete. There's other place in town that sell singles and I like to be able to have an opportunity to to just compete and and just be able to have that for uh the customers that that come in to my store. So like that opportunity if the board will allow it. Okay.

Do we have any idea why this clause was in your license?

Um back in 200 I have a location in air mass 7 Main Street. back in 2005 when I did it. Um, I just uh the the builder that built my location said, "Why don't you go over BMW license?" I said, "I don't think that whatever fly Massachusetts, why not?" He said, "Well, you're in Hampshire and Massachusetts doesn't do that." He said, "Well, why not ask the board?" So, I went went there and asked them. I got tips drain. I got all my employees tips after the fact that I got it. And I just put in some some things like to carry, you know, beer and wine and and we had a few little amendments in there and and that's what I I took. And then when I came to Littleton into well when I asked for the board uh to uh to to allow me to get my beer and wine license, I basically took heirs amendments and said here's my this is what I did in 2005 and then I just took it in as as a as a package that this is what I'm doing currently.

Okay. But the other beer and wine licenses I assume don't have this clause in them in town. They are selling things. They are definitely correct. They do not. So they do not have the claw. They do not have the clause. Gary just brought his Yeah. Got it. Okay. License over to us.

So as as I told Mr. Archer when I met him in the parking lot, I was one of the ones that raised some questions about this whether other businesses had this and um Jim clarified um that they don't. He went through the police chief and says the we don't the chief doesn't have any issues with this. So I don't have any issues with this. I just wanted to make sure everyone was on the same footing across these. Um I we recently did the business spotlight over at Archers and it was great to go through. Looking at all the old photographs was amazing. Uh if you want to see what Joe Knox looked like back in the 80s, I suggest you go and look here. Um, I fully support your business and what you're doing and I think this is I as long as this is on par with everyone else. I'm completely fine with it. So,

I'll jump in. I I just um you've always demonstrated like you keep your property immaculate and you're a good corporate citizen and um I think this is just a way that we can help you. I know there's a lot of pressure. you got um a lot of competition that's now investing to make their facilities larger. They they've got liquor light beer and wine licenses at least. And um I think just from a profitability standpoint, I think this this is a good thing that we can do for you because if you sell a six-pack, you sell it for one price. If you sell six individuals, you make a little bit more margin and every little bit helps. So, um I think it's a a good gesture um cuz he came he basically came to us hand in hand before um to get it and just handed us what he signed in in air. So, I'm 100% behind this.

Great. I have no uh no concerns. All right. Let's hear a motion. Move that select board vote to approve the request of GW Archer, Inc. Gary W. Archer owner of to amend the retail package store license for wine and malt beverages granted on February 24th, 2014 for the mobile station property at 500 King Street, Littleton, Mass. by deleting condition number five on addendum A. Number five, no single individual containers of beer make malt or wine coolers to be sold with the exception of large 750ml and up bottles of wine.

Second. Moved by Gary, seconded by Matthew. All those in favor? I. Thank you so much. Thank you. Good luck. You need to post those photos. Hey, I'll do that. If I if I could just ask Gary one more question. Sure. How' the team do on Saturday night? I did well. They um they beat Hudson, which is nice thing. Yeah, they're they're a tough rival. Yeah. Okay, good. And I believe they're 15 and one right now. So, we had a lot of games coming up coming up. And uh this is Littleton hockey brownfield hockey. Yeah.

And my son's a senior and uh he's a uh He's on one of the starting lines. There's two starting lines, but he's one of them. He's a secondary. That's his that's his thing. Hockey and proud of him. And uh close pretty soon. It's going to be a tough game. I lost child, but um yeah, we're proud of him. And uh the team's doing well. We went far last year and do the same this year. It's great. It's great. They do. They're having a good season. Had a great season. Great group of kids. Great bunch of kids, too. Great program. Join Littleton Hockey, folks. Thank you. Thanks. Good luck. Thank you. Back to Andrew.

Uh let's see. Vote to approve the application for use of the common on March 28th. Sub in by Barbara Ward. My only comment is I noticed that the DPW had to take some stickers off of stop signs after the last one. And I would just ask the organizers of this event, who I'm sure are absolutely opposed to the any kind of vandalism, to reiterate that that's not acceptable. Thank you. Okay. Okay. Good. Yeah. All right. Move the select board vote to approve the use of the lower Littleton Common for a Prodemocracy Standout on March 28th, 2026th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 12:30 p.m.

12:30 p.m. That'd be a long one, wouldn't it? What did I say? 12. You said 12. Oh, 12:30 p.m. Okay. Second. Moved by Gary, seconded by Matthew. All those in favor? Hi. Thought I said am. Yeah, that would have been a long one. Vote to open the May 5th, 2026 annual town meeting warrant. It's that time of year again. Seems like we just had a town meeting, doesn't it? Doesn't it? Yeah. Not a whole lot to say to this. Um, we are doing this one on a Tuesday, so that's pretty standard. Yep. Not moving it. Um, yeah.

Good. Oh, how many uh roughly any more um survey results from Yes. Good. We're we're at two 53 or so. Wow. Which is remarkable. Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, that was as of this afternoon. So, yeah. More than most town meetings. That's great, actually. Yeah. Cool.

That's great. Thank you. All right. Move that select board vote pursuant to master law chapter 39 section 10 in town code section 41-1 to open the warrant for the Tuesday May 5th 2026th annual town meeting fourth width and to close said warrant on Monday March 23rd 2026 at noon said town meeting to be held in the Charles Forbes K gymnasium Littleton Middle School 55 Russell Street Littleton Massachusetts Okay. Roll call vote. Second. I got it. Give it to me. Give it to me. No, it's fine. That's fine. It just it didn't come out. So, I lean forward to figure it out.

I really don't care. All those in favor. It's a roll call. So, okay. I Why did you second that? The Because you got to second the motion and then we roll call. Ah, okay. Lord. Hi. It's our first week. I me. Chuck's an eye. Yes, Gary's an I. Karen's an I. It is open. All right. Request lines are now open.

Let's talk about uh the citizens petition policy. So, um, over the past couple weeks, we've had various people reaching out to us, giving us feedback, thinking we should open up, um, the ability to talk to town council um, before the citizens petitions are submitted. So, um, and they have valid points. I think we need we should look at this a little more carefully and figure out how we can help citizens draft a valid petition while still not subjecting opening up the town to unlimited cost of town council. So I um Matthew and I are going to work I think on drafting something a little more uh lenient on the use of town council suggestions on how we can do something to open up something for citizens to before they go and collect their signatures to get something that would pass muster without going through and costing the town thousands of dollars and legal counsel. We're trying to come up with something a reasonable compromise um that doesn't necessarily involve a lot of um support or interaction from the select board. So, do you want to

No, I mean I think that I think um some guard rails can be put in place to keep it from becoming a drag on town council. But I do think there are a few benefits to it and one of them is just bringing well-formed articles to town meeting um and not sort of making town council the bad guy on the floor of the town meeting shooting things down. Um I think the other the other possibility is someone goes to town council with a with a potential petition for example of the zoning petition and town council says you should not bring this. This is a really complicated thing. you're going to have to spend a lot of time and effort to make it something that the AG will approve. I think that that kind of conversation would be very valuable for citizens.

Um, I'm more than happy to hear what you all do with it. Um, and I'm interested by the idea of guardrails. As it stands right now, I'm opposed for any to any time. Correct.

Okay. um you know there's the same there's there's the same process is um run by you know the state at the state level um and it is I think a question of or it is an indication of the seriousness of the petition the petitioners as to whether they researched and put forth something that can pass muster. And so on the floor, I think I just think um I think it's going to be very difficult to put that toothpaste back in the tube.

Um and I I just don't think it's I don't that's not the role of our town council. Yep. Town council is not um does not represent individual members of the town. So, and if and if it were going to be on if we were in favor of it, it would be on the warrant. So, I think you get to slippery slope of are we sponsoring it?

Yeah. So, that's where I am on it. So I I I agree with you on a lot of those, but in the spirit of making a more participatory town meeting and a more participatory government, just having an outright ban seems harsh and it makes it seem it like an us versus them. It's not a ban. They've never had the right to town.

No, no, I I I understand that. We're we're not suggesting that they have unfettered access to town council. We're trying to come up with some kind of a reasonable thing to make it a little more friend citizen friendly, right? Without opening us up to a huge can of worms. Um I don't know we can get there or not, but I'd like a couple weeks to try. Sure. So,

yeah. And I fully agree with a lot of what you said, but being in the audience on citizens petitions, when someone worked really hard to come up with a citizens petition in your town meeting and all of a sudden town council says it's not wellformed, you can't vote on it. It is so demoralizing to the people that brought it and the rest of town meeting. And and to be in that situation just makes us feel it makes us the bad guys, right, to a certain extent. And we kind of need to figure out how to not be in that situation. Um to make town meeting more welcoming and more make town government more welcoming. If you look at just like our our open vacancies, right? We need more people to participate and we need them to welcome feel like their voice is heard and there should be a compromise we can reach. I don't know what that compromise is yet but I think think we the fact that we allow citizens petitions is about as welcoming as it can be. And um I'd like to look back there have been some citizens petitions that were wellformed. um some of which like the the uh bag failed one year and came back. They cleaned it up and you know rallied the troops essentially. Um I like to go back and look at um how many of the citizens petitions that have come forward have been an individual that was agrieved by a decision which we the town some board or us or whomever um said well we can't do that puts us at risk or liability or stuff like that. Um, but I know a few and I'm thinking of one that citizens petition that came cuz they were they were grieved by um

Yeah. somebody that was doing recreational. We had a town meeting for someone that was agrieved.

That's right. So, um I'm I'm with Karen on this. it's incumbent upon the petitioner to do their homework and find out. And um you know that I just don't think that resource is something that we should be opening up to. Um it opens us up, you know. I I'm just I I'd have a tough time. To Karen's point, I'll take a look at whatever you come forward with. It's going to have to be pretty compelling. I'm not I'm not there. I mean, I'll go I'll even go further the other way. I I will I will never be in favor of it. I um just for the simple and I can break it up to be simple as you're allowing a taxpayer resource to bring a petitioner's article forward to some extent. We're using everyone's in town's money that we pay these attorneys with for someone to bring something forward when they have absolute they have the absolute ability to go to their own private counsel. There's a million attorneys in the state that know the law. Um get your attorney, put it together, and present it. And I So that's kind of where I'm at um with it. I I think uh it's as simple as the the taxpayer piece. Um and you're right, they do work really hard and I've seen the demoral, you know, be demoralized, but get your time get get your own counsel to bring it to bring it forward. Um the Yeah, I'm just I I can't I can't get there. I can't see a way to get there. I you know you start and and you're right it your difficulty in in trying to figure out a way to do it is going to be how do you get say no to the number 99

and number 100 that want to do this. So you get everyone wants to put forth that now every now it's a little easier using our town council um to be able to help craft this or get these get the wording right. So I worry that okay now you're going to see an influx to your point of independent people that are you know agrieved agrieved to some degree and we can't say no or when do you cut it off or when do you say you can but you can't and I it's just the slippery slope what you would propose to come back with I think answer to those questions sure listen but I I can't get there just based solely on the taxpayers side um well let let's you know that's we've been we've been exchanging emails else

we could bring back guard rails that may be might satisfy that and then then let's let's talk and it might be that we still ban the use of town council but have an just a general process by which we or the TA helps craft these things right as to form

as to form and not not cont not content but form right to help guide the guide the process without endorsing it, but just help it flow through in a different way. Right? So, there should be a citizen's petition is something that's really hard to do, right? And if you're trying to bring one and you're not familiar with it, you're likely to fail, right? So, if we had some way to help people form it, maybe it's town council, maybe it's private private time, private attorney, right?

I that's what I'm blown away at. I If I If I have an issue with something, if I'm going to sue somebody, if I'm going to try to make change, I'm going to have my legal counsel help me craft that map. Your resources, that's all I So, that's where I'm I I can't I'm trying to get through that. night. But yeah, if you if you have, you know, 10,000 citizens in the town and one person wants to bring something forward, Jeremy, I ask a question. Um, if if if that's the case, then they a petitioner goes and gets his or her town, their own council. And what happens if their council calls our town council?

They don't have to answer. Well, who's being built? I I mean they have to ask they I guess they have to ask us if he they're just going to answer on their own. He knows that. I mean I I'd hope but I they you can reiterate it to them. Okay. Um but you know if you bring something forward to town and you said this has been this was vetted by attorney such and such and such municipal law employee or attorney the state of Massachusetts. It probably will hold a little more weight than some things. And we're not talking all all articles, right? I mean, all petitions because some of them are you can non-binding or whatever

zoning and you're talking and you're right, they do bog down top town meeting because it is so much language involved and and town council can't make a decision on the fly. Those are the ones you're talking about that are really difficult and those are the ones you should have your own attorney working on this because it's so difficult. It took us so much time. How much money are we spending on town council for a zoning article? My goodness. They're they're ridiculous. Um, not ridiculous, but they're ridiculous time that it takes to put these together. So, but I'm not I don't want to snuff you guys out on that, but I that's for me that's really that's a tough line for me to cross. Okay. Okay. Challenge accepted.

Fight. It's on, folks. All right. Discussion and vote to authorize the TA to sign the notice to proceed for Turner Townsen Hairy Studio G and Gilbane Building Company. Madam Chair, one minute members of the uh select board. So these are uh these were presented uh by our OPM that um that has been approved the language and and everything has been approved by the permanent by the Shico Lane building committee and this is a standard procedure uh to continue moving the process forward.

Does anybody have any questions? This these are things we can approve and don't need to go through MSBA or this is a precursor to going through MSBA. No, it's a it's a precursor because on the on the on the other side we're going MSBA now has all the information they need in regards to electronic form and everything. I think I'm going to just add at the end of this pertaining to Shaker Lane's new project because great I don't lie when I read it I was like I hope this is for Shaker. So that's all I will add to this if you don't mind if that. Yes sir. No. Great. Thank you. Okay. Yeah.

Move that select board vote to authorize the town administrator to sign notices to proceed for Turner and Towns inheriy OPM stu comma studio G architect and Gilbane Building Company CMR as it pertains to the Shaker Lane School projects. Second. Moved by Gary, seconded by Matthew. All those in favor? Hi. Okay. Great. Administrator update. Are you going to do the drum roll for one of your one of your uh I I want you to say I want you to do it because you were instrumental in making it happen.

No. Um I'm not going to start with that. I'm going to start with uh the team. U I'm sorry. Burying the lead. Yeah. Bury the lead. Yes. building up to it. That's it. Yeah. Is that what it's called? Okay. Um uh today the finance team, we had a uh an S&P ratings call today went very very well. Uh and it was it's it's it's a great thing when you get on uh that S&P ratings call and the first thing out of their mouth, this should not take too long. You know, we're very familiar with with little, right?

So, um just went back and just highlighted some things. They ask questions, you know, is there any, you know, any any things that anything that we need to be uh informed about any uh environment school maybe don't worry. Do you think their auditors fight over who gets to who gets to to do us? Probably. No, I want Littleton. No. Yeah. Yeah. No, it's uh but it's uh they were very very pleased and very impressed. So, um we will uh uh that that is proceeding. Just don't let Rob talk to him, please.

No, no, no. Rob would be Rob would be okay. Um, also, if anyone has been to Graten recently, um, because we still have on the agenda the closure of Nshobo Valley Medical Center. Uh, but if anyone is driving through uh the center of of Graten, they will see the building that is up. Oh. Uh, steel is up. I mean it they are just really aggressively pushing that forward and uh moving that. So that's that's that's exciting and uh which is which is fantastic.

And um so uh as I had not as I notified the uh the select board the uh the up I requested the update from the department of transportation for limiting for route two for 110 and 119 speed limits. Um and it's something that they went uh there's one one area in particular the speed limit uh reduction from the airline uh there their average speeds was 35 to 38 mph and uh which is in the 85th percentile speeds were 39 to 42. So they're really they're they're looking at that specific area because that's the area that Chief Bernard had brought up as a concern uh that it was go from 45 down to 35. It may be too aggressive of a of a reduction and they uh they they will continue um to look at it and uh and get back to us on that. It's

funny because my car says it's a 10 mph zone in part of that stretch. So I'm sorry. My car, the GPS thinks it's a 10 mph speed limit on that stretch. It's kind of strange. Yeah. Yeah. I wonder if it's picking up like the little trail park thing and maybe it's that it's between the trailer park and the the sandville the the entrance to the aggregate. Really? It thinks it's 10 miles an hour, which does not work well for uh self-driving. I hope it takes him right into the quarry. That's probably what um Wow.

Uh I will be uh Tony and I will be meeting with uh Officer Abu uh to coordinate the timing of the civil civilian response to active shooter events. Uh that's really um for all uh we're going to do that with town hall and uh and bring all the town buildings up to date. Uh unfortunately this is something in today's today's world that we really have to to be alert and uh be prepared and and and the the staff within the public buildings need to be trained. Uh we are also through a grant from the state um the uh uh through the um ADA ADA committee there will be a ADA self-evaluation and transit transition plan uh uh for the town buildings and that is going to be done by the Collins Center and that project uh deadline is this June 30th. So that is going to be uh kicking off very very in the very very near future. Um also, uh want to now for Gary's Gary's um

drum roll. Drum roll. Uh we have we've been able to confirm that uh at the point uh there are two major um retail uh retail establishments that are uh going to be going in there. uh one is Barnes & Noble which will be on uh it's anticipated that uh around the 1 of June and then is uh then another area is uh retail therapy um with TJ Maxx going on going in there and at the beginning of August and uh they'll be taking the spot to where party city was and uh the boxing boxing

the boxing whole location. So, uh, that's a that's a great addition to, uh, uh, to to the point. So, and that that's it. Thank you. Thank you. Minutes January 12th. Any questions?

No questions. Or are we still looking? I thought I had something on the 26th, but I now I can't remember it. All right. Um, 26th. Let me look again.

No, I can't I don't see it. So, okay, it's good enough. Anybody else? All right. Um, we're good for both. Yeah. Okay. Move that select board vote to approve the meeting minutes from the select board meetings on January 12th, 2026 and January 26th, 2026. Second. Moved by Gary, seconded by Matthew. All those in favor? I. All right. Uh, executive session minutes January 12th. Minutes about minutes. Minutes about minutes. Yeah. Pretty. So, does this need that second part? Didn't we do It's included in the motion today.

Put it all in the motion. If you look at the motion, it says to withhold their release until a purpose of the executive session has been served. Yeah. See, with that, we added I see it. Okay. Got it. Everybody good? Yep. Yep. Right. Move that the select board vote to approve the meeting minutes from the executive session on January 12th, 2026 and to withhold their release until the purpose of the executive session has been served. Second. Moved by Gary, seconded by Matthew. All those in favor? I. Okay. Budget meeting minutes of January 21st and January 28th. Any questions?

Nope. So, I I don't really um I talked to Tony about this before. Um I just have a request that we either post the presentations in the minutes or update the packets to include the presentations because they're not available otherwise. So, kick one. I don't really care which. But that's a good call actually. Yeah, the presentations. Oh, that each department had Yeah, I I I believe a slide deck could have all of them and and it would be nice to post those somewhere. Yeah. So, either in the minutes or update the agendas to include a packet. So, yeah, they're all in one folder. I would say

budget meeting minutes, budget meeting presentations. Maybe that'd probably be easier then. Okay. So, other than that, I'm fine with 2026 budget meeting presentations. Okay. For FY27. For FY27, I'll take a motion. Move that the select board vote to approve the meeting minutes from the joint budget meetings with the finance committee on January 21st, 2026 and January 28th, 2026. Second. Moved by Gary, seconded by Matthew. All those point first. Does Fincom doing the same thing? Because usually we only do one. What do you mean only one? Because the minutes are the same in the joint meeting. So I that's all right. I usually I'm just saying usually if it's Fincom's meeting.

What if they changed what if they had a question with the minutes? Is your right? Yeah. And what else? Okay. I I will everyone's head's going to ask a little bit. I I don't you know we've done this before. I'm trying to remember what we did before. I thought well it's Was it Fincom's meeting and we're invited? Yeah. Or was it our meeting and finally? That's that's that is the correct answer. It's one of those two. No no that's you're right. It it's either it's their meeting I think. But if we're doing the they do not have to do this and vice versa. That's all. Okay, that's all I just from the past. I know that that we've had this happen before and usually FinCom just does the minutes for the finance meetings if we're there. Okay. But these were kind of truly joint. So it's a little different.

So why don't we just approve these and tell Fincom they don't need to with you. It's no harm. Motion second on the second. Yeah, I second it. Okay. Moved by Gary, seconded by Matthew. All those in favor? I um motion to adjurnn. Motion to adjurnn. Second. Moved by Matthew, seconded by Chuck. Twist turnound. Seconded by Gary. All those in favor? I. Good night, Littleton. Good night, Littleton. Be warm.