Town Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening all. Welcome to the Winter Town Council meeting for Tuesday, March 24th, 2026 at 6:30. We're in the town council chambers and town council meeting in the Harvey hearing room. Uh, call the meeting to order. Roll call, please. Councilor Costan here. Council Tering here. Council Mal here. Council Dimes present. Council Gen here. Council Romano here. Councelor Finn here. Vice President Swope. President Lati here. Seeing a quorum. All rise for the pledge led by councelor Pen.

I pledge algiance 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. Take a minute first to recognize council and welcome to the town council. Congratulations. Thank you everyone. Appreciate that. Minutes have been circulated from the March 10th, 2026 meeting. Is there a motion to approve? Motion by councelor Romano, second by councelor Dimes. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor say I.

No abstensions. One extension. to public hearings. We do have one public hearing tonight. National grid installation of hole 22 on Pauline Street. I will open the public hearing. I believe we have Moses and Raphael from National Grid. Thank you both for being here. If you'd like to discuss the issue,

thank you so much. I was a designer. I just asked Moses to come because now he's going to be the the win engineer with switching. So, but I was the one who designed. So, we need a new pole and a new transformer for the new building that is going to be that is being developed in 22 24 Baldin Street. So that's the only the only way to do it like the the cheapest without try light to doing like an underground system and we will be extending three-phase primary cable and it's approximately like a short span and will be in the corner on the 22 24 street.

Okay. And and my understanding also is there's an issue behind that building with a port with electricity connected to a tree. Yes. So that will be fixed with this installation. Is that correct?

No sir. So that was our initial our our initial the initial proposal but internally they they decide that not not to do that in this in in this project because the the way like to even that we we remove the pole we we remove the tree install a new pole the transformer will be far to the to feed the building. So in that case we will have what we call like voltage drop issues. So that's the reason that the technical and safety because even though we bring primary cable that is high voltage cable we don't have the clearance enough between the fire station and the small alley. So that's the reason that we we're proposing to install the the new pole and the transformer just in front of the building.

We don't think it's a safety issue at all for and I'm all in favor of that

but we don't feel it's a safety issue at all to have going to a tree but it's not honestly it's not it's not our standard right now. So however the cable that is going over there right now is secondary cable. So it's just 120 to 40 volts. The other primary cable that we need in this case will be 4,000 volts. So, it's more dangerous, but definitely it's a request that that something that it needs to be fixed. Honestly, I'm not going to be lying here. It's something that should be fixed, but that should be like something indefinitely for this of this project. And what's the uh anticipated time frame with this project

for this one? Yes. So for this one, we just waiting like the town approval and now the the time is like six weeks after the customer signed the service agreement. And is it going to and would there be any road closures or any police details needed or what's the time frame to get something like this?

It's a good question. So usually like now because since I have been coming here I understand what is like the the issue that we have with the town about the double poles and and everything. So we start like bringing like better designs. So in this case all our projects even like for this for a pole even that in this case is like kind of like a main street always has polish details always. So for a P installation it's not going to be so the whole project probably they not going to be doing the whole it's going to take two days probably so two three days they're not going to be like doing like three days of eight hours probably like four four and four but yeah one day will be for the pole one one day will be for the three face cable extensions and one day for the transformer can I Chief, if you have any concerns, especially so close to the station.

I thought the whole one of the reasons was to get that line off that tree. Anyone that doesn't understand the power line that feeds 22 Pauline lines between the firehouse cos to an old oak tree, a live tree with everything behind the firehouse. Every couple of years as the tree grows comes out this line gets too tight another spike in the tree line makes no sense to me. As far as the work going on in front with with the um the poll in question right now, the addition fine with you getting your engines in and out during construction or during I want to open up to the council first for council. Well, I'll start trying to be in council cost. Did you have anything?

Yes. Yes. As far as this line, it's it's going to increase supply power and it's also going to service additional buildings in that area as well. So, this one this actual is just is going to be just feeding the new building. Yeah. The the the existing building is being fed by the by the cable that is on. So, but this the new service will be like with the new P and in the new. Thank you, Scott. Councelor Testn. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you very much for uh this presentation. You have a question based on what you just said?

Yes. Is that going to mean that the old line that's next to the oak tree is obsolete. You can remove that entirely once this new pole is in. So, what I can recommend in this case is that anyone of like probably In this case the the fire department because even is I what I understand is a private parcel but belongs to the city they can request that and I don't think honestly the nationality will say no to do that but this project is going to be different we're not going to be touching that we want to avoid that but this is going to be the new service that yeah new service yes

right so that so that old ser that's an old service line that can be eliminated Not yet because actually that is feeding not only 22 24 it's feeding like almost like four more houses but in that alley let me see if I can so so it would be it would take another request from yes in this case it needs to be like created like a new request so the thing is that we cannot like even he's been fed from that actual I don't know if I can show you. Yes, it's this one, right?

Yes. Yes. Okay.

Okay. Excellent. So, if you see actually in the corner between 44 and 32 and 16. So, that's the tree kind of like I draw it that way. That secondary fits one bureras, two buras, 26 and 24, 22, 24. So that fits actually that that's the way that is feeding those four houses. So obviously to do this job is going to be like a lot of cost that it's going to be like a gray area that who's going to be handling this job. So I cannot I didn't want like to put that even even that 22 24 is being fed for that trip. That's something that nationality needs to be. But I prefer to keep it like better to separate and also for technical reasons because even I sold that I I I wouldn't solve what I thought initially that was the voltage drop issues because even I the only way in that case that I would be feeding is I is a transformer that is in the corner of Freemont in Palin the P 579 that was my initial idea there is a transformer over there so it's almost like 500 ft away. So it's 1228. So probably like the building is going to get like 10 voltage less than the like the standard is required. So now the reason is we're going to be extending three-phase from pole 577 to the new pole 577-1. In 577-1 we're going to install the transformer and we're going to be feeding directly to the building. But honestly is something that needs to be

so so I I I'm agree with that. But what I think that it was not correct even it was my my primary idea was to try to solve that in this because probably that would be bring like more delay to the owner of the building that he is already waiting for the pump. Uh yes, I also see with the filing that he says it says in it also for permission to lay maintain underground laterals, cables and wires. This is all above ground.

Yes, it's also overhead. That's like a like a typical form always say that that's like a misunderstanding. People think that might be on underground but it's only overhead. So looking at that layout too, there's a tree that you Yes. in front.

Yes. So also obviously depending like what the town council say probably would require like a three a three hearing in that case because it's primary and probably it needs to be like that that depends on national ag forestry supervisor if he decid he say that because we need to keep like 10 ft of clearance of the any cable from tree in that case for primary cable so he will decide if if it's correct like to take down the tree and obviously replace according to the the town ordinance.

So once this is finished, it will actually be able to support conditional beyond 2224 15. Yes. Because it's going to be yes the transform is going to be able to supply. Yes, we're going to we we're planning to install 325 KVA transformer. That means it's like 75 KVA. So I think that probably that transformer is just going to be used kind of like the half of the capacity. So we can also like fed other customers from that for the same transformer.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Pat. So, so the the only thing probably that I can say in this case and probably will be like like fatos like washing my hands I don't know how long was that there so I don't know it shouldn't be that way but I don't know how long it was was done in that way but like I what I what I want to do and what I try to do is like now everything that is going to be new has to be on the standard Hi. Thanks.

Um, there are two trees here, right? Yes. You're going to replace uh these trees. Yes. So, the trees is going should be replaced. In this case, this is going to be going on 22 24 street only. So, he's going to be replacing that. But it won't be a sample. It won't be. These are both pretty mature trees, right?

Yes. Yes. So I'm not I I not an expert in that but I would bring I already bring time ago like forestry. So we do similar jobs in other towns other cities and what whatever according is the ordinance. some I don't know what is here like the the standard it has to be replaced like in equal diameter I mean I don't know how is it but yeah it's going to be done whatever you request because national doesn't want to be liable like a legal issue that case um I I walked I looked at Pauline Street

the there's a lot of double poles on Pauline Street stuff I mean it looks terrible. Are you planning to replace a lot of those poles on Poland?

So the the P the the double PS is an issue that so goes through what all new projects all new bolts that's going to be for example replaced now we are designing to be replaced in the same hole. So what we call that like couldn't kick. So they cut the pole, remove the bot and and tie it like to the new pole because we cannot touch other people's like other companies as a third party attachments for example Verizon and other companies. So we just transfer national grids cable and assets to a new cable. So all the new ones are going to be done like that. I remember that time I I promised that and then it came ocean up and they bring $5 million. So sometimes on film it's not possible to do. So but that's the reason that I'm here again and I'm not going to go. So that's yeah so saying that any double pole that is created to respond your question is is has to go to a system that is the in June system. So national agree actually transfer and it goes like to a list. So then the next one to have to transfer it's like how do you say that like it's like a Yeah. So let me just add what Rafa is saying basically the polls you know most polls you see on the streets they are jointly owned by national group and Verizon.

Yes.

Now in addition to that the other third party attaches who don't want the poll they only rent the poll. So national ID is supposed to set new poles and Verizon is supposed to you know take out the old P. So basically we go there set a new pole transfer overhead primary you know secondary primary anything above you know four you know 4,000 you know 160 volts and above secondary 120 240 you know two 122 volts and above the transfer we transfer to the new pole and then the we send a notice exchange of notice to other third party attaches so they go they do all their transfers Verizon should I go last okay transfer all the wires and take out the pole. So that's some kind of misconception you know challenge we've been having you know in the system over the years on the go to do all the transfer you know or other top third party have achieved and the national get you know gets blamed so in a nutshell those polls they jointly own so we don't have we cannot remove the pole so what Rafa is saying I think is since we cannot take out the pole we've come up with you know another solution to cut the pole at the top at the bottom leave the top portion you know all those wires you know and then whenever the other top third party have achieves where I'm going to transfer so I I know we get blamed you know

can't you two get together

I mean is it not possible that we could have a joint proposal here between the two of you so that this so that the whole street doesn't look like it does now and that the holes are put in and Verizon puts their stuff in like vision I mean those are utilities right separate facilities so that's just like I mean we the most we can do is just send it up to out of the talms.

Um, thank you, Council President. Just to continue what council Swope was speaking about the trees. Yes. before the trees are cut down, is there going to be an agreeance, some sort of agreeance with the inind replacement of the trees or that when will that conversation take place? So it depends like on each city or each town. So it depends on you usually some some towns also like depends on the three guardian of the town that depends on you. You decide that by the time this will be referred to subcommittee and at that point that exactly so probably we need electric hearing. Thank you. That's what I was wondering. Okay. Thank you. Yes. Okay.

I just had a question. The the existing pole 577 further up on the other side of the tree there's a metal pole. I guess it's like an anchor. Yes. So are you going to need to move that metal pole further up the street or is the new pole going where the metal pole is? No. So what we're going to It's a good question. So it's it's going to be just a new pole with an anchor on that pole on the on the new pole. So the we're not going to touch the the stop pole the metal. So that wouldn't move further up to take the weight of the I have nothing else to add.

Um yeah, I mean a lot was already said. I'm just my main concern probably besides the removal of the trees would be that existing power line that's connected by the firehouse on that tree and why national grid keeps every time the tree grows chief said putting it higher and higher. Um like to see that solved. So my recommendation is that in this case someone in this I I I'm just supposed that like the fire department can call and say hey I need this to be sold and create the request

that that they could call it like a public requirement and definitely there is no way to say no to that. Thank you. Thank you. Is there anyone from the public who would like to be heard in favor of well who would like to be heard Mr. Senate and then

Senator Precinct too. My concern with that tree that is electrified now, lack of a better term is why can't we just make this three-phase pole conditional on solving that issue with the tree? Um, you know, it's our town. It's not right. It's not proper. It's not to code. That's for certain. Okay. So, we should have a requirement that they make it to code. Pure and simple. It's your the conditional um grant of the three-phase power should be part of taking care of that old situation. Pure and simple make it conditional and and I think we want to make it that we have an understanding and again it's a time strength also but that's something that the subcommittee and the council will take up but it's a it's a good point that that needs to be addressed one way or the other needs to be addressed. It's been there for far too long now. Mr. Jack,

I want you to go back to your respective bosses. It was hard for me to understand every third or fourth way that spoke a lot of news by that. So go back to your respective bosses appropriately. Thank you. all up in this area. One town hall around the town hall and the police station library was all underground and that goes down Pauline Street quite a quite a ways. I'm not sure where the first boulders out there comes above, but why haven't you considering all this to be underground appropriate for the area? Then we won't have to worry about trees and you won't have to worry about why isn't that being considered? I don't I don't know if you you said underground once or someone said underground once, but why why isn't there a a figure for money? all the other places up here all from the church all the way down to the fire house all the way up to Miss M school on Winter Street. So why can't this be underground also? Thank you.

Thank you Mr. President. So it's a good question. So actually like like you say sir Fing Street has a a big part that is underground actually like the fire station if I'm not wrong is fed by underground. However, underground is a lot of cost. In that case, we try to find like the best solution technically and economically for I don't understand. A lot of what? A lot of cost. Well, that's their cost. Thank you very much. Your cost. This is not a back and forth. This just answer when I can't understand. I have to understand. Okay. So, yeah. So, we have to find like the best solution

economically and technically safe. for the customer because that was a request that the customer as us that obviously this will cost $50,000 more just to give the power of the ground. Thank you. Yes, Barcel preync 5. I just want to um say that thank you for coming here and um I'm understanding everything. So that's all. Thank you. Any other M Can I make one? Sure.

Just so that if it would be up to the customer then if they wanted to go underground with that is that what is that how the policy works for a grid? So if for example so most of the cases when a customer is requesting something so most of the cost is it's pushed on to the customer. So it's so it's it's the it's the new building that says, "Okay, we'd like it to go underground." Then you give them the quote and they say, "Okay, that's too much." And then you say, "Well, then we have to go above ground and this is the new price." Is that how it

there's no doubt how it works? But it can work like that way.

One of the way we evaluate the situation is we try to do like what we say least cost to sell. Okay. There's some upfront cost they will have to you know let's say the underground conduit cost a lot because who will actually require them to you know do like you know two 4 in conduits you know encased in concrete you know that that civil work alone cost a lot you know a lot of burden on the customer besides our own construction you know we need a bigger equipment a part of the transformer that's they will have to bear as So we make all that determination and say you know overhead you know we just look at this cost to set them besides provide constructions a lot easier you know to maintain you know during storm situations. So those are some of the optional things we look at while we decide on what you know route to to follow.

Is it not is it so additionally so in this case like Moses was saying that they didn't have the is to put equipment to like another round solution. So that that I just want to say that that would be like a normal project but in this case it was not possible because probably I can bring the conduit I can bring the cable but that doesn't mean that the underground transformer that usually we have like in the sidewalks bolts have the power to feed them. Okay. So we then we need to request a petition for a sidewalk v transformer and would be like $300,000.

We wouldn't know if that would even serve us any more any other customers that might serve other customer obviously in that case maybe we wouldn't know when you would go to install it first. Yeah, exactly. Is it just very is it so you said it's easier to maintain the overhead lines. Yes. Do they go out Do they not are are the underground ones not more protected in some situations?

Well, I mean, you know, logically, yes. Okay. I mean, but we, like I said, look at other factors. You know one of the one good very good question you raise it's possible to feed other customers out of that power transformer but then we begin to require easements and sometimes um sorry I'm trying to be technically so maybe just to explain this point there's something we call the speed where the electricians land their secondary cables sometimes they max that out so at that point you know it's difficult to loop out of that part to feed a customer but overhead transformers is a lot easier because it's all an open space you know we don't have to go through any easement we're not having any experial trespass issue so that's mean so and one other thing those overhead transformers usually I mean in terms of capacity the underground as well okay we build them for I mean to accommodate spare you know future yes but the pad mounted transformer it's a little bit tricky okay sometimes they just do it just for that customer. So,

yeah. This is just an interesting line of I mean, I don't want to waste any more of your time tonight, but it's just it's a it's a when the state's looking at eliminating natural gas because lines are leaky and natural gas is one of the top causes of greenhouse gases, right? Mhm.

It's hard to say yes to that enthusiastically if all of our heat is dependent on electricity and we have 1,500 customers were out during that last blizzard for a day or something like that. It's like it's hard to that's a safety issue in cold weather and blizzard stuff like that. So, I thought that maybe underground lines would be a safer option for for maintenance and and maintaining power consistently, but that's not I don't know that's not this is not this is not a good time for the for that line of questioning because no one has that kind of time tonight. I apologize, but that's just something that I've been thinking about. Why? and and

please. So probably they like you say they going to be more protected but in the case of a failure it will be harder to restore it. That's the issue because a boat you can replace it like the underground you have to spend maybe like a day just to find where is the fault because you don't see it and it's more it's is it's more risky because it's a confident space you know what is energized what is not. So obviously they have a safety protocol but that's the reason that is now we will try to avoid everything in confined space. Mr.

I'm a town tree warden and uh I regularly work with uh people from National Grid uh about trees and wires and pruning and removing trees and I'd be happy to do so on this project. Thank you, sir. Thank you. I thank you for your time. this will go to a subcommittee and we will ask for you to be there and then I'm sure we would have questions before we come back and hopefully we can

and thank you So thank you. I will close the public hearing public comment. Thank you much. Good evening everybody. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Have a nice day. The floor is yours.

Hi. Thank you. I'd like to um make a comment and note something that was said at the last meeting by the council president noted that the council doesn't run the dayto-day operations of the town um of the town that's up to the town manager and the DPW director. However, this council as per the charter appoints council members appoints board members budgets and accepts and or declines recommendations by these boards. So you do although not getting your hands dirty, hold the purse strings to this job. I think that should be noted and the citizen should understand that this is how our form of government works. That being said, we should also note that the last meeting that the DPW needs more employees. Not sure if that's in the budget. The teachers, ESPs, and secretaries are continuing their efforts to get a contract in place. The fire station we are building has lost out on grant money that would make our new fire station run more efficiently. So this council, although not dealing in the dayto-day workings of our government, does indeed control our government on a day-to-day basis and our lives. And I will close again with a request for the money 4 and a half million maybe more to complete the full project at Tile City and Glestone. I know valiantly this is moving forward and I do appreciate that. And I request that this council revisit the climate commission's phase report regarding the hotspots noted so we can work to resolve the issues that are all over this town. The climate changes are not going away and we must meet the issues in a proactive manner. Thank you. Um, I've had a lot of time to think since the last storm.

Center precinct 2. And it's in my opinion that this town has to take Glestone Road, Tileston, and Pleasant Street as a separate issue to that $5 million project because we need immediate relief. Okay. The outfall pipe that's in complete failure was there for a hundred years. physics did the job. Okay. I graduated almost 50 years ago, but I don't think physics has changed. I request that we separate those projects at $4 and a half and we take care of the Girdlestone Road area. Glestone Road is in the condition it's in because of this town's neglect of this neighborhood, pure and simple, utter neglect. Right? It was discovered more than 30 years ago that this pipe was in failure and it's got gotten nothing but worse and worse and worse. So that being said, I think we just have to go back to the basics here. Simplify the project. Take our project on its own merits and and put a outfall pipe back out there. You have an easement, use it. And if somebody built over it, they have to grant a different easement to get the project done. Put out another outfall pipe. That's what I'm requesting is you take our project, our neighborhood because of the town's neglect. Not necessarily all you, but the town's neglected this for 30 years. It's unacceptable. All right. Pure and simple. Jim, you've been on the council for 20 years. You personally knew about it. And yet 20 years later, we're still kicking that can. It's unfair. It's unfair. We need this done. Um, you know, physics doesn't change. Put a new fall

pipe in. There's an existing easement. Um, separate out the project and put another fall pipe in. Physics hasn't changed. It worked for 100 years. Put another pipe in. It'll work for another hundred. That's what I'm asking. I'm asking for that project. I'm asking you to to make this a priority because we can't go through it anymore. Okay? I can't even take a vacation because I'm held hostage by the town and the town's inaction on this issue. I can't go away. I can't take an extended vacation for fear I might come home to four feet of water in my basement like Mr. Yaro had. Okay. I only had eight or 10 inches. I mean, eight or 10 inches. Imagine that, Masi. um only eight or 10 inches because I was pumping as much as I was. If I wasn't as proactive as I was, I'd have lost everything just like Mr. Yaro and it's unacceptable. Put a separate system in for us now. It won't cost that much. And and you're talking about this new project with pumps, pumps and everything else. Well, didn't we learn anything in the last storm about electricity?

What a mess it caused. We can't take that chance anymore. It's pure and simple. Go back to the basics. Put a pipe in. Put a proper flapper valve. It'll work for another hundred years. And if you do that for us, you probably won't hear from us again.

Sure. Shows up. I want to direct said it many times. exclusion. People are still waiting through on the premise that you help with the exemption case. after the vote was changed mind just changed his mind a few things I'm not trusting so I'll be saying this same thing I'm saying as far as this growstone $28,000 for a study engineering plan is that plan completed that was a question but if it's completed it should be online so that everybody can understand what the cost is going to be and then where that money is going to come from I had a conversation with Mr. But Terry, right right after previous house, he said it was going to cost between5 and six million. Some someone else said, someone else said. So I asked them, where's the money coming from five or six million? Well, we have a fund here and we have another fund here and then we go for an over.

Those were your words. I don't think any wants to have an override. Every time I talk to somebody, they say, "Just for clarificion."

You said override. I did not. Yeah, that was my that was my conversation. I'm saying it right. That's how you You said override. So, whatever you want to say now. Another one that turned on us after after everybody was elected. Do you have anything else of pertinance? I'll save it for the next. Thank you. Anybody?

I haven't received none. Uh reports

department report school committee met last evening. Um two major topics of discussion. One was negotiations that was mentioned earlier. Um there have been numerous negotiation sessions that have happened. Most of them have been public. They have been taped by WCAT. They're available through YouTube. There are proposals going back and forth. There are negotiations set up for tomorrow evening. I believe two of the subsets of the unions. Um it's an ongoing thing. I think both sides would like to settle as quickly as possible. The other topic of conversation was about grants and potential losses in grants and for fiscal 26 which we're currently in right now. We have um not received we are told we are not eligible for these specific grants. Um and again it might seem small in scope when you're talking of a 40 plus million dollar budget but um we all know that money is a tough tight everywhere and we've lost on a $17,000 supplemental approach appropriates to an existing grant. Um now this is a grant that we were eligible for before we received the grant and we have always received the supplemental. Uh we did not we were told as we were told in the other grants that we were we asked Desie and Desi has informed us that the state has informed them that non-compliance of 3A is one of the eligibility requirements for all discretionary and competitive DESI grants. Um personally have a huge issue with that is this is just a never changing landscape. uh and and said last night

that I find it kind of ironic that we have a governor that's running for reelection and she's putting safety of our children after school programs at risk uh to prove a point on um on 3A. We also lost out on $9,950 century 21st century enhancement grant for students with IEPs. Uh we applied in March 2026 and denied funing non compiance. Um we also lost out on the $20,000 21st century summer learning grant. Um our PS posted now due in May. We are not eligible to apply. We were told the grant has been received by Winter Public Schools the past two fiscal years and that's a grant that um is kind of used by high school students to get summer jobs to help with 21st century program. It's a learning opportunity for the high school students and it's a huge help to 21st century. Also in fiscal 27 21st century uh we potentially applies for a pretty substantial grant. Uh this grant is a three-year grant. So when you apply for it now in April and May, um you will receive or be denied that grant. That grant is a threeyear grant. So if circumstances change over the next year, you're still not eligible to reapply until the three years is out into the next grant. That grant is approximately $140,000 a year or about $420,000 over a threeyear period. Uh this is a substantial uh blow to 21st century would be potentially a substantial blow. We have made our comments clear um to the state. We've also talked with our representative and Senator, um I've talked to Representative Turo who's uh

we we have worked on and he is trying and he believes he might be able to get a $100,000 grant which would be a great help fiscal 27. Uh but again, this is the state just continuing to add more and more and more to a policy that originally had three or four grants tied to it. Um, so we talked about the potential loss of the $420,000. Also a $69,910 supporting students um grant for behavioral and mentally uh health grant. This is a continuation grant uh as the district boards awarded this grant for fiscal 26 and would otherwise be eligible to receive based on the first award. this grant will be posted soon and with the requirement of compliance uh we have been told that we are not eligible to apply um and basically they're saying for any fiscal 27 competitive or discretionary grants posted by the requirement from the state is that and from the governor is that the MTA community must be in compliance. Um, these grants, both competitive and discretionary grants posted by GESIE are designed to support educational mandates required by the Department of Education. So, it's not even a grant that we choose to do a project with, whether it be an infrastructure project or whatever, that's our discretion. These uh grants that are supporting mandatory programs and most of these grants are federal money that has come from the federal government come down to the state to be distributed to cities and towns and the state has just taken ownership over that and choosing not to uh to fund. So we will again be in contact with our representative and our state senator uh along with the other members of the

state to see what we can do with that. So that was another update from the school department report update on policy making committees. Uh when the board of appeals met they had discussions circled around 190 OD street the applicant seeks a permit to construct a 2 and a half story single family structure to be constructed on a lot that consists of 4,000 square feet. This is a non-compliance with respect to minimum lot size requirement. This case has been continued until the next BA meeting planning board 210 Winth Street has been acknowledged by the town clerk's office stamped and certified. The next meeting is

next month for appeals. April 16th for board of appeals. Tom has been circulated. Um might have some comments and then we take some questions.

Thank you. Um couple things I obviously forward out to the council members on this afternoon. Um our response to the lawsuit. Certainly feel free to read it. If you have any questions on it, let me know. Um that was filed last Thursday. Um so um drafted it signed it. He signed it. We submitted it. So waiting back from the attorney general response. Um there's been some questions about the Christmas tree in French square. Uh that was coming down tomorrow. Fortunately thought it was down. It wasn't. And you know then the snow started to fly so we couldn't get to it. So uh the DPW taking that in order down tomorrow. Um, and I just want to point out I did comment on the we've got some meetings coming up with NWR about you know the tall ships coming to town in July. Um, but we also wanted talking see what the council wanted to do thought about for um maybe a 250th celebration somewhere in that time frame. Obviously with July 4th being our 2015th anniversary. Um I know they're doing an event maybe in May at the Dean Winter House and you know I think maybe the Point Shirley neighborhood might be planning something but um didn't know if we wanted to kick around and do something was talk about maybe doing a boat parade or something similar and you know on the water looking to decorate the boats and do something like that or maybe a parade locally. I don't know. But I wanted to kick that around and see if we have a couple of council members wanted to volunteer their time to maybe help us out with some planning and reach out to the community and things like that so we can get something in the works. I'm sure the open questions we were looking at the 11th to the 16th business.

Yeah, we think about during that time frame a lot of resources in town.

Yeah. Um, thank you for responding to the state and being so forceful with the response of town manager. I encourage people to take a read through this. It's about 21 pages. Um, the town attorney brings up incredible amount of points that you know discussions here. this read I think you will be able to see all the work that's been put into it and all the exemptions that we think that we titled as a town start with council cost if you have any questions on the town managers report.

Yeah, thank you Mr. President. Uh yeah, just an issue we talked about before but just regarding the memorial for uh and down at the middle the old middle school I think it's still there if I'm correct. Yeah, the three in the black is all fenced off. They can't get to it. We could be protected during the demolition phase. just looking at the timeline where that will be moved. Um well obviously before construction starts so probably sometime and we got to work with the family and try to pick a date but I would think you know late spring early summer the tree and plant a ceremony we haven't locked in any dates yet we thought about it. Thank you. Yes.

Thank you Mr. President. Uh thank you man for your report very helpful. Uh I'll save my questions about neural beach for uh prein precinct free counselor, but I do have a question on a running tally and a running list and the impacts of all the grants that we've missed out on so far including including the MVP grant that left us hanging for two years in a row now. I think it's like 1.2 each time

1.2 total for two years. So that was a 1.2 million for that. And then this there's a whole litany now of these school supporting grants that we're going to we're losing out on which is going to either cost us services or require us to find budgeting elsewhere because they're required

mandates. I add the schools to our list, but we are keeping a running tally of grants we apply for and on we don't get because of the three issue. Yeah, that would be very helpful to include in your report uh on a on a bi-weekly basis. I would appreciate that. And I just like to remind the council and anybody who's listening that it was this council who decided not to comply with Mass General law. We are the ones breaking the law right now of our own valition to be procluded from all this all these grants and all this funding that supports everyone in this town, especially the most vulnerable. We decided we didn't need it. Winter can do it on its own, right? Winthre can do it on its own.

Are we doing it? I don't know. Tom Manino, you're going to tell us in the budget season if we're doing it or if we're not doing it. There's not going to be a lot of forthcoming

forthcoming help from the federal government or the state government if we keep acting like little children. Obstinate little children. Just for clarity, it wasn't this council that voted on that, but we are in a position in votes on it was this body that were the same members. So,

I do appreciate the report you provided um or the answers to the attorney general's lawsuit. Um I already started reading through it and there's a lot of questions that I've had that I've worked to try and get answers to outside of uh what was provided there. Um I am still for you know pushing for exemption on for our town and some of the answers that I started reading through were directed towards that. So, uh, that is very helpful. I'm going to take the time and read through the entire go back and forth with what the lawsuit is versus the response. So, I will be taking time to really dig into that one.

Um, the other question I've had is about the middle school. Now that I've driven by multiple times now, it's kind of on the way home. Uh looking at the side of uh the building now, has there been any structural uh damage or ident identified that potentially we that will need to be fixed?

Structurally the wall's fine. Um we need to obviously waterproof and weatherproof it. Um, and then we'll have to decide. I'm guessing we'll do brick to match everything else. But it'll have to come up with a new brick facade and there'll be prep work that'll have to be done and cutting back some of the beams to make them flush and preparing the, you know, the shelf that will have to be there for the bridge. But yeah, no, structurally the wall's fine. In fact, we're looking at, you know, sprucing up the gym and maybe trying to get that back in the works for us sooner rather than later. But, um, we just got to waterproof it for now and then we'll decide what the finish is going to be as we move forward with the next stage. Vice President You know, it's interesting that we um we fought so hard for for exemption and I think that these that the points that you bring up counselor are true harms that the state has wrought on us and I do think that we have on ourselves every Thank you. Every one of those harms should be noted in Mr. Attorney's case because they all will help us in that regard and the other cases are already and there is a stay. So that would be I think this is an election time and I'm not sure that the current governor wants to take this kind of punitive measures as the feds have taken against that. Um the um just wanted to mention too just as another tomorrow.

The other uh issue is I know that you're working on this Tony that the grants not the grants the um what's happened to everything that we're working on doing in the town. You're going to put that in spreadsheet I think soon with the grant applications. that it's the council clerk and the council president will work. Okay, you're working as far as the track record. Okay,

that's Thank you, Council President. Um, town manager Marino, thank you for the report. I haven't able to um read the response to the state yet, but I'm looking forward to reading that. Um just quick question about uh the work. You're trying to work with a vendor for the plantings for the dunes. So are we gonna so my volunteer work not? We actually uh come to find out we were getting outsourcing them from uh northeast nurseries. Yeah. Okay. The price was a little higher. So I asked Dunar environmental if he had anybody else that he worked with in the past and come to find out we could not only buy them but get them planted for about half of that cost. Okay. Perfect.

So uh we used that vendor to do it. So going to be $5,000 or less just to get the whole the deck to have 500 foot section planted and 18 foot on center. I mean 18 inches on center. Okay. Thank you. Thank you for the report. Council councelor Dian kind of stole my thunder. I was about to ask about the vendors. Sorry. That's okay. But um do you have anything else to add about the Euro Beach project?

No, I just want to put in the report. Um you know we got about we got a little more done than we thought. We got about 500 ft done. Um, like I said, Dwight Dunk was out uh last Friday. He's our the gentleman that, you know, drafted the beach management plan and we asked him to come out and check on the work that we've done so far to make sure it's in compliance with what he had specked out and it is. Um, he's happy with the work. So, um, we're going to just basically need to set up a neighborhood meeting. I want to locate the five areas where they want based on, you know, where people live. Uh, maybe people that need to have access, you know, closer to a stairway than not. So, we want to make sure we locate those five areas and make sure the neighbors are happy with those spots and then we can put the the ramps in and you know the staircase and the moving. Sounds good. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, thank you, man.

Town manager. Um, thank you for the report. Um, I have a question as it pertains to the old middle school gym. Um, as I think I told you, I'm involved with uh little league in the town. Um, this past Saturday, we actually were in the gym. um doing what's called like tryyouts and skills. Yeah. From ages 7 to 12. Um and I noticed like a ton of dust kicking around and stuff like that. We were slipping. Has that has it been tested for like I know you were in there. I probably would have said you couldn't go in there. Oh. So yeah, good to know that that was ignored. Um but

yeah, I don't know why you guys were there. Yeah, because we are we're in the process of getting pricing to get that cleaned up. So you don't have that issue because we had to clean the building and like I said it's in process but I'm not ready yet there. Okay. Yeah. I'm not sure who chose to I was follow up with who I need to follow up. Thank Okay. I'm just looking out for the kids, you know. Yeah. No. No. Without a doubt, we didn't I would not have authorized that because we weren't ready yet. Okay. Yeah. We have to clean up the gym. We have to do a few other things. Couple of leaks we want to fix in the hallways. Get some scupper work done. All right. Thank you. You're welcome.

Thank you. And and again, to recognize that the grants we're talking about now are not grants that were part of this bill and the government is choosing to now affect kids and public safety and uh health departments and the federal government is giving the money for the DESI grants. The state just isn't distributing it again but at some point you know you have to watch out for our citizens and we cannot I will not let children be taken because of this. So we have to I mean they have to come to the table and discuss with us because it needs to be just go on like this forever. So they have to be discuss old business there is none new business referred town council appropriate retain journey and waterways master enterprise fund for repair maintenance floats that is referred to finance

yeah m if I can just point out the typo on the bottom there on the bottom

it says rink but it's supposed to say Town council vote to modify general post 26 that will be finance amendment to new ordinance 8.370 land district disturbance and erosion control that will be referred to ordinance national grid installation pole 22 Pauline street will be referred to public health and safety Town council vote to approve video recordings on committees. This is a motion that came from councilmano. This is going to be also referred to rules. There are two. Uh, one is I have appointed town council president is appointing assistant town manager Cheryl McCormack as the representative of the town of Winrook on the Northshore consortium board. This has been brought up at several meetings. Want to make sure we got some board and town presidents to represent the town of Kasa program. does a lot of incredible work uh for the children of this town. But I encourage people to take a look their website incredible people.

Yes. Um, hi. Uh, my name is Tim Dupin. I work um on the tree committee and I was asked to speak on the issue of the trees over the town hall in this back area, this courtyard area. And um the question of who has jurisdiction to caring for those trees. Um it's to my understanding that if a tree is to be cut down that there needs to be a hearing. But um you know one of the reasons why we have a tree committee and a tree warden is to make you know really good educated decisions on what should be cut down and what shouldn't be cut down. there's many years of experience on our um tree committee and you know if there is you know uh rodents or whatnot getting into the building. It's certainly something that needs to be addressed but there's a right way and a wrong way to go about it. You know are the trees invasive? Are they at the end of their life? Are they healthy? Um can we plant new trees in their places? Um, you know, I I sit here tonight and I listen to all the budgetary concerns and I would like my piece of the pie and which is basically to plant more trees in town um because it it there's a lot of benefits to it. It increases property values. It mitigates um um global warming. Um there's a lot of benefits to trees and um I'd like to see the town, you know, um you know look at at putting more effort into their trees. Um we have a lot of trees that you know I drive by every day that I'm like gee know we need to pr prune these trees because they're an investment in our future. But if we could look at these trees and get together with the head of the DPW and

you know come to you know a good decision on what should be done but you know also going forward we've had other issues on you know people telling us where they should plant trees, how we should plant trees, what species. That's what we're hired for. That's why we have a tree committee is to care for the trees for for the town which is a huge benefit. So, um, I'd like to work with the DPW, uh, director and hopefully we can come to a, you know, resolution on the best way to handle that right above us in this back area. So, and this is just public comment, but I I do believe the town manager has

Yeah, there's a whole email thread and the tree warden's been involved and we're working on getting the trees pruned. So, I'm not really sure where those comments coming from, but I'm certainly happy to talk offline about it. Yeah, I might be a little unprepared tonight. And can I make one more comment about the school? I heard you talking about the school earlier. Um, I went to an event there recently and if you come out the front door, there's a beautiful sign on the left. Which which school? I'm sorry. The high school. The high school. The new high school.

The new high school. If you go up the front steps to the new high school right on the left, there's a beautiful sign and the lights don't work anymore. And, you know, it's too bad. You know, this is a brand new school and I figured I'd, you know, see if I could get my two cents to get those lights repaired because it really makes the school look nice if people were using tonight and going up and down the stairs. But thank you for your time this evening. Thank you. I'm Hamilton again. Sorry, too.

Uh, couple of things, Mr. Cost again. Uh you talked about um the um lead being um updated last meeting about the local emergency um action deployment or

Okay. I have talked about this several times when our our I think it was our fire chief said we our plan is to shelter in place. I would like to see that lead upgraded. I would like to see monies allotted to that to have a townwide um forum on that because emergencies are coming up. Secondly, after listening to what your report was about all the grants that we have lost and I have to applaud Max Tessari for stepping up. You all have the ability to pass the plan. the planning board made for 3A zero units. We This is not a political issue. This is a survival issue for this town. We could take it to the courts all you want. It's a constitutional law that we must obey. And you can all sit there and say, "Well, no, we're exempt. We're exempt." We're not exempt all around us. Again, I've said this before, the DCR takes care of the beach. The MWR is off the point. Mass Ford is over here. There's entities all around that we depend on. We depend on the state to help us out. And these children deserve these grants for the next three years and forward. You have children. You have children. You have grandchildren. We need to support them. Politics aside, I don't care who's the governor. I know this town needs help financially. And Century 21 needs money. The the mental health, they need money. Cass is going to need money. You're going to need money for this lead program. What is wrong with this this committee that you all ran on? No to 3A.

No to 3A. Well, this is the effect of it. And it's going to really affect your school systems. It's really going to affect our town. It's going to affect our infrastructure. Please reconsider your votes. People won't hate you. They'll applaud you for being there for your children and their children. Thank you. wearing this uh shirt that grandfather's fellows when they came back from Europe in 19 so he was in five out of the six congregations he also paid back and we pledge allegiance pledging allegiance to the people that injured suffered the wars. So we have the freedom to talk in a room like this. I don't appreciate people that don't stand you find them few and far between. I know my grandfather wasn't there. I talked to his one of his friends grandfather was a very very he was also adjust that made that freedom worth it and just a you know a small gesture of standing up for the pledge of allegiance is not a bad thing. Just a small gesture. Stand up. So we know you appreciate the people to earn everybody in this room the freedom to be in a room like this and speak. Thank you very much.

I thought I was running out of time earlier. I want to address a couple who died. First of all, I really don't think the town people have time to probably be like original cost way back when $68,000 right now. We wouldn't have had damage like I had if we had a actual catchment system that worked. We would devastate. This is why I'm asking for this project to be separated out from that grand project that they have. This is a simple fix. Okay. Um the other thing is you guys are in negotiations with the uh pot club. I don't want to see this to a quick full pro over there. They have fuel tanks that are out of compliance with EPA. They need to be removed and I don't want to be that. I don't want that to be part of that easement talk at all. We should not pay to have their infrastructure improved as a town just for an easement. Absolutely unequivocally no. They have a problem. They need to address it with their money, not us. That's what's going to turn in over there. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. All right? If I hear any talk about tanks being removed from there because we want an easement, you're going to get a fight from me. Okay? We're not doing it. That's their responsibility. That's their EPA problem, not ours. Um, and again, the original cost was 68 grand. How foolish we

Diana Ven um uh first of all I just want to say I applaud our council um save a few uh so whoever said that I I disagree I do feel it's very sad I have to call in to correct the remarks um about 3A. I can't believe we're still on this stuff. Especially the comments about children being taken advantage of and especially when they're made by people I often joke with about these ridiculous tactics and they are totally ridiculous. 3A has very specific brands that are associated with it. They're in the law itself and they're listed in the regulations and nothing falls outside of that that has been actually APA you know followed. So for example you know people mentioned the 1.2 million that we were told we were ineligible for. Yes that is a harm that should be included in the uh suit in any in any suit. Two we were excluded from eligibility for a tree grant not in the law. So that needs to be corrected. I know that I know that the town wrote a letter. I also wrote a letter. I followed up when they ignored us at the EOA and I got a bounce back from a lady who has lost her job. These people are dropping like flies. The state is out of money, which is why we've had 171 overrides in this state since 2020. And I just heard of three more in the last one and a half weeks. I mean, this is just obvious stuff. watch the news. Please, dear God, I appreciate Tim Dan being here tonight. He's really, really

knowledgeable about the trees. On that note, and speaking of that, please, dear God, if anyone has a problem with the trees or if the DPW is planning on not, you know, removing a tree, even if you know, just just please follow the ordinance. Um, I I run around this town a lot. I see new stumps all the time. and I do follow the transcript and I'm not seeing these notices in the transcript or I would be there. Um and and lastly, I I was surprised to hear that perhaps the state is withholding money that was earmarked for us for the uh for the middle school for the new firehouse um in the affordable housing act. That's news to me. I didn't see that anywhere officially, but I think if that's the case, then the state is actually withholding our money that they promised us or we knocked the building down and made a big hole and are still apparently letting children go, you know, play in there. Um perhaps the town should have a communication about that at some point. Thank you. Tom Darian precinct three and your beloved tree warden. Uh I I noticed an irony. Uh uh Mark and Marcy have too much water. Uh last summer when it was hot, we had newly planted trees. Uh to water them. I had to get five gallon buckets, fill them up at the bell aisle cemetery spigot and then hoist them up into the trunk of my car. I could get I could fit four of them in there and then carry them to water the new plants, the new trees. Look, my arms have gotten longer. Look how much longer they are. Soon they'll be dragging on the ground. Can we come up with some money for a watering tank that we can put in the

back of a pickup truck, fill it with 100 gallons of water, uh have it gravity fed. This is not a big expensive thing. Um although Steve might want a a new truck to put it on, but uh we need we're going to need water this summer. Most likely it's going to be a long hot summer. U so can we find some money for watering tank to water the trees so we don't have to change the name of uh the town to a dead tree town

one more question regarding the water main breaks um obviously tens hundreds of thousands of gallons were for lack of a better word just thrown down the drain is that going to be reflected in our water bills as as unaccounted for water and you want to pass that cost on to the town for mistakes of other people. I don't think that should happen. I don't think we should be paying for that water. We did nothing to cause it. We didn't waste it. The town wasted it. Um, I remember I don't even know where. Sorry. Um, this has been an interesting evening. Um, I just want to remind everybody that says that we are a welcoming town and that people should can feel comfortable coming to these meetings or coming to events. I want you guys to really just think about if that's actually true or not. Um, from what was earlier that's all

public relation upcoming events, we have our annual Brady's clinic April 11th, 2026 at Town Landing Hover Master Building 10 to 12. I will be holding office hours tomorrow in town council chambers 4 to 6. Commission on Disability uh staying in your home presentation center for independent living center uh March 25th 1:00 Vice President Swope will be having her listening session on Wednesday

tomorrow at 6 o'clock I encourage people to attend here on the But Saturday, April 4th, 9:00 a.m., we'll be hosting the next update meeting on the river street tip project over at the senior center. But the senior center April 4th at 9:00 a.m. a neighborhood discussion on the street tip project which will be getting underway in earnest. I don't see it on this, but uh the dedication

and Good evening.

Yeah, please. All right. To whom may concern, uh, this is from Phil, uh, the veteran service officer. The town will be holding dedication or rededication next week on Monday, March 30th at 3:30 at Veterans Field. We will be dedicating the baseball diamond to former teacher, coach, athletic director, and US Army veteran James Evans prior to opening day of Winthrop High School's baseball season on Wednesday, April 1st at 3:30 at Engleside Park Diamond. We will be rededicating the field in honor of former professional baseball player, US Navy World War II veteran, and Win Policeman Charles A. Charlie Dominico. prior to the opening day of the win high school girls softball season.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Motion to motion by motion by vice president. Second by any discussion I