Select Board Meeting - July 13, 2026

Welcome. Tonight we are starting out our uh select board meeting of July 9th, 2026. We're going to be moving into executive session pursuant to Mass General Law, Chapter 30A, Section 21. At 5:00, we'll be moving into room 303. At that time, we will discuss the following. Human Resource Director, Mass General Law, Chapter 30A, Section 21 A2, to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non-UN

personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with non-UN personnel. And also the harbor master contract, Mass General Law, Chapter 30A, section 21 A2, to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non-UN personnel or contract negotiations with non-UN personnel. We will also review and approve the executive session minutes for April 16th, 2026.

When we conclude, we will be coming back to start our regular session meeting at 6:00 p.m. or as close as possible to that to go into executive session.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. All in favor?

Mr. McDonald?

Yes.

Mr. O'Neal?

Yes.

Mr. Silva?

Yes.

Mr. Taliban?

Yes.

Yes.

And the chair also votes yes. We'll see you as close to 6 p.m. as possible.

We are back in session and I need to let um the audience know that I misspoke when I introduced our executive session.

I stated the date as July 9th. It is July 13th. My memo was the 9th. So, I apologize, but I got it right now. Um so, we are going to open the select board meeting of July 13, 2026. We are just a few minutes uh late. So, we'll get this one started. And we will start by um standing for those who can to pledge allegiance to the flag. And I ask that you remain standing.

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, liberty and justice for all.

And as we ask at our meetings, we ask you to pause and remember our veterans and also our service members protecting us on these shores and away from home.

I also ask that you bring to your mind the passing of the following Dartmouth residents that brought a lot to our community. Ann Marie Leiddetto, a beloved chemistry teacher at Dartmouth High School.

Elellanena Brooks, the guidance secretary at Dartmouth High School for a number of years and a legend at 96.

And most recently, Gilbert Madreal, the former director of music.

Thank you.

We have a very big agenda, so some things are going to get a little bit moved around, but we're going to start tonight with a 6:00 hearing on the agricultural license applicant, um, Jack Condan. May I have a motion to open the hearing?

May.

Motion made and seconded.

All in favor? I hearing none opposed. Could I have Jack Condan come on up to the podium?

Jack, we have a lot of information in our packet, but the folks here and at home are not privy to our packet.

So, tell us what's going on.

All right.

So, uh, I'm submitting an application or proposal to the town for an halfacre aquaculture site located in the Slokums River.

Um, in this proposal, uh, it's a, like I said, it's a halfacre site. It's intertital zone. It's within the BB BB7 conditionally approved area.

And uh I'm using bottom set cages that will be fixed to the bottom or the substrate floor of the sandbar.

And this is an intertital zone. So around at 2 hours of low tide, these cages should be exposed. But beyond that or as the tide increases, they'll be submerged by the water. Uh they'll be properly marked and um I'll be growing the American oyster.

So for folks at home um this is off of the coward area if you're familiar with that off of um Little River Road.

Correct.

All right. So and the coward is before the bridge, the little bridge that you get to where you turn and end up at the Lloyd Center.

Correct.

Correct. Okay. So, some this your proposal went through a number of boards and um first of all, you did a beautiful PowerPoint in here. Thank you. Um and so it really got me to delve in to where this is and what you're asking for. And we've done a number of other um shellfish uh locations. Some have not been so successful. So, I'm hoping wishing you all the best, but we did have some

concerns brought up by various boards or members of boards. Um, and so I'm just going to ask and I don't know the answers to these questions.

Yeah.

Well, this isn't a trick. Um, but one is your winter operation plan.

Yeah.

What does it look like? So, um, probably around December, I'll be removing all of the gear, tackle, gear, cages, oysters.

Uh, the first year, the none of the oysters are going to be ready for market. They're going to be probably halfway through their growing stage, but right when the water reaches around 40°, they become dormant. Um, but before that, I'll probably pull them, especially in preparation for the easterly storms. And uh there's a facility in Dennis, Massachusetts that is um they're approved by the state to

uh overwinter shellfish. And that's the that's the location I'm going to be using. I could also work with the harbor master of the town, and I'm not highly educated on this side of things. This is my plan B.

um I could get access to a certain oyster farm that has a a depth maybe a greater than I'd say 10 feet where I could submerge my oysters and then pull them and relocate them or relay back uh when the spring comes around.

Okay. some of the other um yearly protections uh for that area and you're talking about so let's talk about a storm non-winter storm comes what happens then just knowing where you're located you're yeah it's it's it's not out there but it's not protected yeah so um well it's going to be usually a southerntherly storm and uh with that just comes a very strong wind. Uh when the sandbar is exposed, usually for

around 4 hours of the day, uh it's not really impacted by the swell that's created, the wind swell that's created from these storms. But if it's severe enough, I will I live right there, so I will go out there and I Yeah. And I'll pull everything I have um or check the gear. So, probably won't have to pull with the southerntherly storm, but I will probably check all of my connection points, all of the gear,

and make sure nothing is failing. Um, and truthfully, I'll be out there bi-weekly just sorting and just checking all the gear anyways. So, if I do see some of the gear that's starting to, I guess, um, show its age, I'll be replacing it, uh, and go to catch and supply and just get the freshest gear you can get. I hope that answers your question. Is there anything else that concerns you? Um, hang on.

Okay. So, the seed that you're getting, how how long from seed to cell is there?

Well, years.

Yeah. So, it's going to be hopefully around two years. In a controlled environment, it will take around two years. Uh, in the wild, it takes around three. Uh but it really depends on the growing conditions and I think this is a really suitable site for it. Uh has really nice current. Uh the water warms in the summer. Uh right now my boat reads around 78 80. So that's you know optimal growing. Um they feed off of

phyto plankton. So it's coming straight from north to south down the slums river and the little river. Uh, and hopefully I'll get a marketable product in the second season growing.

And have you had any like what is your training?

Well, my training an interest or education.

Yeah. Yeah. Um, interest, passion. Uh, I wouldn't go through all this hassle if I didn't care about it. And I wouldn't live in Dartmouth if I wasn't passionate about where I am. And I and uh truthfully like I don't I've never worked on an oyster farm. I have a large network that has I've got in touch with many. Uh the president of the Massachusetts Aquaculture Association for one, the

founder of Kadong Shellfish Farms. Uh I have a buddy in town. He's a marine biologist who also grows oysters. Um I have a neighbor and a good a new friend that works in the farm currently. Uh so I have a network. I've surrounded myself with a network that I could actually go to for questions. But besides that, I'm on the water every day. Uh the past 10 years, 20 years, I mean really uh

fishing, diving, boating. I've worked on commercial fishing boats. I've done sport fishing tournaments. Uh I've been a first mate of many uh boating operations. and uh I consider myself a professional uh or and I kind of see an easy path for me to become a professional in this field. So that's that's it.

Excellent. It's just it's a lot of work.

Oh yeah.

For those delicious misters.

Did someone on the board have a question?

Mr. to tattle bomb.

It sounds like u uh the thing you have most more than anything else is passion.

You want to do it. Um experience on the water doing this exact job, not so much.

But you're putting yourself at risk financially. Uh high risk because you have potential for loss. Uh it could be great based on maybe inexperience or whatever, but you're willing to take that chance and that's what they're telling us. But you've surrounded yourself with people can help you. But your actual time on the water doing this particular job is something you have not done before. Is that fair?

Yeah, that's correct.

And who are we to say no in terms of should you do it or not do it? But you made it pretty clear where you stand on this.

Oh yeah. I'm going to give it my all if you approve this. Yeah.

Well, you're trying a very different location than others have. Um hopefully that will bring you some luck. anyone from the other side of the table?

Um, Jack, what what are the dimensions?

Um, are you just going to feel it out when you get out there?

Yeah. So, I mean, that's important to feel it out, but truthfully, I'm starting as a garden and I want to transition this to a farm and this is going to take years. Um, and what I'm going to start with is four to eight bottom set cages. The dimensions are around 3T x 4T each cage.

Uh first year I'm going to start with 5,000 oysters and uh I'm going to be pretty data driven and a day-to-day like taking notes on what happens every season and the second year is when I start making moves and the third year I have a full plan just based off the data that I gathered. Uh so the total footprint would probably be of the half acre is around 0.5 1% of the entire area I'm trying to

lease. But I'm looking to grow it obviously. I'm looking to fill it out.

Uh looking to provide jobs for the town.

I'm looking to improve the water quality of the Slokums River. And um I think you could trust me that I'm not going to jump into this looking to make as much money as possible, but looking to really make an impact in align with like kind of the goals that I set to to achieve.

How do you um for the equipment that's out there in the summertime, say, how how do you mark it?

So, you mark it with um well, what I'm going to do is um a helix anchors on all four corners with a uh yellow buoy. I think that's the standard regulation for to market. Um, since it's an inter intertitle zone, it's right on the sandbar. There's not going to be in the way of any boating traffic. Um, it's going to be safe and away from people that are trying to use the waterways.

Uh, there will be a Prolex line connected to each buoy. Uh, and then within that rectangle is going to be my cages uh that are fixed on the bottom.

And do you do you have a uh is it a company um that you're going to run this under or is it a personal individual?

Yeah, I have a company in town and um I'd run it under that until I could get an LLC up and running for the particular farm itself. Um but yeah, this is our insurance guy. He's always concerned about risk management. So yeah. Well, well, abandonment too.

Abandonment. Yeah. So, um I mean I is there a is there a contract that we have that uh that we would draw up the state's final say?

Okay.

On this?

Yeah.

That would dictate how we would handle an abandonment say of the of the my address is uh on the proposal.

No. Um, we have we have several letters from different departments as I said that you should have as well um and their concerns and to alleviate their concerns the best thing is to continue to work with them and run concerns and questions that you have by them and answer the questions that they have.

They are far more knowledgeable in these areas than probably the five of us. Mhm.

Um, you know, my biggest concerns for you is you getting either hurt in this or financially ruined. Um, and I don't want either of those. So, um, to me, you're taking on a lot of risk. And, um, I can only wish you best of luck with that.

But again, make sure you reach out and ask um those various departments and those individuals that have written in about you know their concerns and it's more concerns about have you thought of this. So just as a new person doing this I think that it's very um they would be very helpful and their concerns for weather and all. Yes, Mr. Silva, did you receive the letters that we got

from the harbor master and conservation?

Uh yes. Yeah, I did re review those.

Yeah.

um just so we don't take steps backwards down the road. I did have to get um um a neighbor's approval on just because I'm within a 500 foot distance from their shoreline or their property line. And uh I have a letter receipt that I sent them a notice.

So if they're in this room, if uh I guess Tom Parker is in this room, Tom has any concerns, right? I don't know if I should shout his name out, but uh he's he approved it per se. Yeah, but that's a we want to hear from Steve.

Did anyone that write in did the harbor master concom members of waterways want to speak tonight or you're having your own conversations with Jack?

Thank you. Harbor Master Steve Melo is coming up.

Thank you. our master and shellfish constable Steve Melo. I've been working with Jack for months on this and helping him through the process. This is our fourth application received. We currently have one active farm in the Outer Harbor. We have one that is inactive off of nonquit and a third that was denied after receiving approval from the select board. Tentative approval.

the state declined to give their blessing because of pre-existing stock.

That was in 2019.

And that site similarly located but 790 ft away from where this is uh being located. So what we're doing tonight as a town is we would be considering temporary approval or uh it's not set in stone. It has to go to the state. The state has to conduct the survey that some of the other departments mentioned. They have to check for existing stock, eel grass viability, water quality, things of that nature.

So, the one thing I want to point out with this application, in light of the sewer overflow we're hearing about, this area is far removed from New Bedford and one of the last places to get shut down by the 30 million gallons that escaped early last week, the 18 million gallons that escaped Friday night from the rain.

This area does have conditional approval for the growth and harvesting, but because of its remoteness, we don't see it closed as often as the harbor. Um, the board to consider the exposure or the risk to the town has the option under section 17 of the aquaculture regulations to consider bond or insurance for the removal of gear. That's a select board discretion and it's on a case-byase

basis. It has not been done in the past.

Um, frankly, it hasn't been an issue in the past.

And if there are no other questions, uh, well, just one question, Steve, on the inactive off of nonquip, um, how big is it? What do we do with the equipment that that's been removed and was never replaced? So, it's an empty non-active site.

Anyone else?

So, as stated, we give approval, but it's conditional approval and then it goes up to the state and the state will either give its approval, not give its approval or give some sort of combination of other things that need to be looked at.

So, what says the board?

You have to close the hearing.

Sorry. Thank you. Procedural Are we ready to close the hearing?

Oh, wait.

Well, Mr. O'Neal brought up the issue about uh bond and removal of product.

Should equipment that that's an option that Mr. Melo said that we could take, but yeah, I I wouldn't require it. You know, Steve says that there's no um there's no requirement or there hasn't been a requirement in the past and we haven't run into the problem in the past.

Has been a problem in the past.

Should be fine.

Okay. Um, so anybody for anybody against?

Well, no, first we have to close the hearing while the hearing is open. If there's anyone in the audience that wants to speak.

Thank you. Thank you.

First time. Not really. Um, so is there anyone in the audience that would like to speak in favor of this pro project?

Any one in the audience that would like to speak against this project?

Motion to close the hearing.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. All in favor on the board. I I the hearing is now closed. Any other questions or comments?

Tom Park is a resident over at Michon Point. Correct.

That's correct.

And uh if it's okay with Tom, it's okay with me.

Okay. Um motion to approve.

Second.

Thank you. Motion made and seconded. All in favor of approval or conditional approval from the board of selectmen or select board um on this aquaculture application say I I I anyone against passes unanimously. Best of luck to you.

Good luck.

So maybe summer of 2026 we'll be eating Dartmouth oysters.

All right. I'm going to take a few things out of order.

I'm going to take item A of new business, which is the Laughorg Marketplace LLC, doing business as Farming Coast Market. Transfer of wine and malt beverage package store license to Deval's General Store. Doing business as Deval's General Store on Russell's Mills Road. Is there someone to speak?

This is a transfer of license.

Thank you.

Here he comes.

Good afternoon. Uh good evening. Uh thank you all for doing what you do. It's a thankless job.

Uh so my name is Peter Bullard. I'm an attorney here in New Bedford. Uh and I'm representing uh the Loftberg uh marketplace.

As you know, they've had a uh retail license to sell beer and wine for several years now. And uh they'd like to transfer that uh to Dval. Uh, Dval's uh would like to expand their retail operation by offering beer and wine. Uh, Dval already has a liquor license for their restaurant, but this would just be uh allow them the opportunity to sell beer and wine on a retail basis. Um I

think um I'm biased but I think uh both uh Farm and Coast and Deval have uh good track records with the town and they like to work with the town and they're trying to be good neighbors. Uh but it's really a straightforward just transfer of an existing uh beer and wine retail license. And we're here uh Maryanne Buckley is the manager uh at Dval's. uh she is here and she's more than willing

to uh try to attempt to answer any of your questions.

Thank you. Maryanne, if you'd come up. I do have a question for you and I'll see if anyone from the board does.

Knowing the location of Devals and the inside footprint, where would these items be stocked?

Yeah. So, we have outlined two shelves in our refrigerator on the general store side for local beer and a few bottles of wine. And then a small footprint that is about 3 ft wide, 4 ft tall for approximately 24 bottles.

So, we're not opening a whole room.

No, no, no. We're pretty We're pretty full.

You are. And you're not giving up the book section. So, I'm happy to hear that. All right. Any other questions from members of the board? And this is on the transfer.

As long as the kids bookroom doesn't go, my my kids will be especially with that the arch will stay.

You can crawl in. Absolutely.

Anyone?

No.

Motion to approve.

We're approving the transfer of the license from Lofberg Marketplace to Deval's General Store. Second.

Second.

Second. We have a motion and a second.

All in favor?

I I Any opposed?

Hearing none.

Thank you so much.

Okay. When does that actually take place?

Um, does the magic transfer happen?

It's going to go after the CCC after this.

All right. So, your beer and wine selections are not available tomorrow at at um Devall's. Okay. So, give it some time. All right.

I have a another I have two more minutes before I can actually open the next hearing. So, I'm going to take another item out of order. I'm going to take item G, which is accepting a donation from the Dartmouth Friends of the Elderly. And we'll bring Dartmouth Friends of the Elderly up to the podium.

Maria Connor, we'll take you up.

I want to start with all kinds of good news.

Just for the folks who may not be known with that we exist, we've been in a community for 40 plus years. I think by now we know what we're doing. Uh our success is main through the generosity of the people of Dartmouth business and our fundraising and also we couldn't do it without a group of volunteers who work very hard to make sure that we have the resources when we need it.

Um and of course our objectives and goals has not changed. Uh our purpose is to enhance the lives of our seniors in the community, our veterans and we al intergenerational programs.

Um through the years most of the stuff that we have done has been a lot of programs but also the infrastructure which is very important to actually have these programs and in this case upgrading our kitchen.

This is a very exciting and finally took a long time.

Yes. I think I have now become part of the elderly in waiting for this to happen. So um and I you know friends of the elderly uh it it it goes without saying that these are not I'll say my grandmother's elderly because it's a quite an active group.

This is a different generation.

I say my grandmother because my mother's sitting there with friends of the elderly. So I say my grandmother's elderly. It's it's a far more active group. I'm 88 years old and I move with the times.

Um, but the friends of the elderly have have contributed in so many ways to the footprint of the site and the programming at the site as you said.

Uh, they're they have a very small little black goose resale shop that is a hub of activity on the days that they are open. and accepts donations and wisely, you know, culls through what's donated and makes decisions about pricing and and which, but it's a lively play place. And as you said, there's that and then other fundraising activities that you do. And you're here tonight to um gift the town $100,000.

Wow. I want people to realize that this is no small gift.

It took a quite a while to work very those volunteers work very hard. Uh people should drop in and see the activities and that footprint on the whole comp. I call them a compound that has been there for many years. Uh the Dartmouth Friends of the Elderly has had a hand on every extension from garages to wellness center. You name it, we've done it. Uh we have raised millions of dollars

through the years to ensure that the seniors have a place to go with a lot of new programs uh and ensure that the new generation coming up, they have a place to go. It's a it's a very different generation and having been um you know at the location and helped with the meals on wheels program and see that operation and how many meals we serve our community. It's amazing and seeing doing about 200 meals a day.

200 meals a day and then we do extra on the extra meals for a weekend so that people who are home have meals for the weekend. But to think that we could do so much more in an upgraded kitchen and the community center itself and these things certainly would not be happening without the push of the friends of the elderly and the financial support.

Well, thank you.

I would like very much to have our board right here without them and they're very positive about everything we do. Can you please stand up and say your names, please?

Christine, Ellen, that's not

And I know that's not all of them.

And then it's a it's a and it's a working a a working group. And I can't thank you. a very hard working group for sure.

Uh yes, so I just want to add um we've been at this for quite some time and Miss Silva Brooks mentioned the kitchen.

This project goes beyond the kitchen. It really is the community room outside of the kitchen, the large room that if you're familiar with the COA, you're familiar with this space. Uh we had allocated $400,000 at the um fall town meeting to move forward with the kitchen project. We thought that would be plenty of uh funding. The friends had previously um promised to give $100,000

that we would use towards the equipment in the kitchen and they would donate that a kitchen uh donate that equipment to the town. Uh we we went out to bid.

We had to, you know, follow mass procurement laws. We had to do sub bids.

Uh and then what we did is we wanted the project to move forward regardless. So we we bid it out as three alternates as well. So the kitchen being priority, base bid, and then we did alternate one.

uh which was either the the flooring of the room or the ceiling of the room.

Alternate two was the flooring.

Alternate three was um call it a TV wall. It's more than a TV wall. It's some built-ins and shelving and stuff.

And so the bid um if you combine all the alternates, the bids came in at around $475,000.

So we were about $75,000 short without any sort of contingency or anything like that. And so um obviously doing it now will save us money in the long term.

mobilization uh inflation and so we um myself and Amy and Angela over at the COA scheduled a meeting with uh the friends in Maria and we had a really um I think a good discussion and we were able to get the support of the friends and so we're very thankful and this will uh allow the project to move forward and we will um enter into a contract hopefully next week and get this project started.

That's great news.

I thinkion was also made that we should upgrade that main room which you needed another 50,000 that the friends is also donating it.

Incredible. Thank you so much. This is very exciting because those of you who don't think you're elderly um it happens quickly and um pick up a bulletin. We're all at Hawthon. I'm there weekly. We're all at Hawthon.

There's always everywhere you go, uh there's always a a monthly print out of the activities at the uh Council on Aging. And there's something for everyone.

And when it comes to new programs, we always make sure that the Council on Aging has enough funding to start a new program. So, we're there.

need the board to vote to accept the donation.

All right. So, at this point, I'm looking for the a board member to make a motion to accept the donation from the friends of the elderly.

Motion to finally accept and get this project underway.

All right.

Second and seconded. All in favor?

I I Thank you.

They say they're opposed. Thank you.

I don't want to weed out our audience, but I will now move back to our hearing.

I couldn't start that earlier than 6:30.

So now I can go to our hearing, our second hearing of the night. And this hearing is for Laughofburgg Marketplace LLC doing business as Farming Coast. And at this point, they're going to be talking about an all alcohol package store license application.

So if I could have a motion to open that hearing. So moved and seconded. Thank you. All in favor?

I.

Now with the hearing opened, welcome back.

It's been a long time. Double bummer for you guys, but um so um this has been a long process. Maybe not as long as the Council on Aging, but um uh we've gone to I just we have a lot of people to thank. We've gone to town meeting not once, but twice. Uh and town meeting approved it both times. Uh we're grateful for that. Uh Tris Marky and Mark Montgigny have gotten it through

the state house and the state senate and the governor has signed this home rule petition. The selectman have been uh very supportive in the past uh and uh Melanie in your office is a saint uh with unlimited patience apparently. Um and so uh we're finally here before you uh for this proposal.

Um it's it's uh as you know the town has a limited number of liquor licenses and so we had to get the home rule petition in order to go over by one. Uh again as I mentioned previously I think farm and co has been uh a good citizen a good neighbor. Um and uh this is part of their business plan. Uh I'm here with Jody Cody um who is the manager on the

uh liquor license uh app uh with Mimi uh and uh they keep uh everything rolling at Farm and Coast with a lot of help from their staff. Um so um as you know they have been selling beer and wine but now they want to be able to sell the hard stuff I guess. Um uh and um again I think they've worked well with the town in the past. Um I don't know anything

about the shelving. Uh you you asked at Deval about I'm going to be asking you again.

Yeah. So so uh Jody will be able to address that. Um we we are concerned about uh for lack of a better term kind of the impact on on the village. Um and uh I used to describe the village to uh friends as as a hidden gem. And I no longer call the village a hidden gem.

It's a gem. Uh but uh it's not hidden anymore. And uh you know due to co and various other things, uh the village is uh on people's radar and I my observation is it's it's busier than it once was. Um and um the uh the what what Farm and Coast tries to do is they have a a deed easement on the north side of their uh building uh that they use for

deliveries and pickup. Um they also try to utilize Little M across the street where they have a parking lot. um they uh they pay for their uh uh employees parking.

If if you go up uh Elm Street a little bit, you'll see where the employees park. And they do that to try to um lessen the intensity of all the activity uh in the village. um they request their vendors they they they can't control their vendors but they request their vendors to make early morning deliveries um but especially now you know June July August prime time you know the village

is a really a busy hectic place and you've got you know the the whole business has changed you've got Amazon you got UPS you have Federal Express you've just got all these delivery services now so it is it is a very very hectic place that and and Farm and Coast is trying to be sensitive to that. Um, as I understand it, uh, probably 90 to 95% of, um, the new deliveries for the hard

alcohol will be from existing vendors.

So, you won't have really more traffic, but rather than maybe taking three minutes to unload, maybe they take four minutes to unload because they'll have a couple extra crates. Um, so, um, that is the proposal. Uh, and, uh, Jody would be able to tell you, uh, kind of square footage and where it's all going.

All right. Don't go too far, though.

Jody, come on up. I want to I want to thank you for acknowledging uh the traffic because that was a concern that we got from not only a Butters but residents and those passing through um especially driving through down um Bridge Street in that one block uh and having either people crossing where they shouldn't be because they should be crossing at crosswalks. They're crossing to get to Farming Clo Coast trying to

park. Then we have a delivery truck and I so I applaud that you have um acknowledged that you know it's a problem and I know that you cannot control those vendors. Um but we need to make sure that there's somehow that you can try to speak to them and either continue with those early morning deliveries or that they use that rear um access that they that they have and if

they that needs to be changed. But the during the day deliveries um are a huge problem for a lot of people and we we just don't want to have um any further consequences there.

Right.

So, thank you for acknowledging it because it was something we wanted to talk about.

Yeah.

All right. Thank you. And Jody, tell us who you are.

Hi, I'm Jod Cody. I'm the general manager at Farm and Coast. I helped open it, so I've been there from the beginning. And Peter's right as far as the space that we have delegated or we're hoping to delegate to the bottled alcohol um for about 14 ft. It's a hutch if anybody's been in recently. Um and when you walk into the wine celler part of the business, it would be on your right

hand side towards the bathrooms. Um it's really out of sight. It's it's something that you'd have to be going to the ladies room or men's room really even see it.

Um it's a h um a wooden hutch that was made for that area and the bottom half of the hutch would be just for us to enclose cases and the top hutch would be for the display. So, it is it's not as small as what Devals is saying, but we're hoping um I mean the initial delivery would probably be 10 cases to fill that slot and then after that, you know, in the summer curated alcohol selections,

correct? Just like the wine section that we have, but much much smaller. Much smaller. Um, I just couldn't envision having been in there recently, but not down towards the restrooms.

Envision what you would replace to bring this in. So, thank you. This is a different spot.

Yep. If you're walking towards the restroom, it would be on your right hand side.

I believe that's where the cleaning buckets were the last time I was in.

So, this will be interesting.

But, as far as deliveries go, it's been an issue for us from the beginning. We know that. We try really hard to, you know, be good neighbors. I mean, we're nothing without the neighborhood. So, we understand that we don't want it to be dangerous. We don't want it to cause problems. And we do try to address it as often as we can. Um, I do thank you for that.

I run a store sim well I ran a grocery store in Westport for 35 years. Well, helped run it and um, you know, they had a receiving dock. they have they have a lot of different things um that we don't have and it was one of the first things I noticed when I was hired. I'm like where are the deliveries going to go?

And so very well aware of what we need to do and like I said I I don't think weekly I don't think that it'll be more than 5 to eight cases that we'll be getting from our drivers and I would say 95 to 98% of that is already trucks that we already have. They're just going to be bringing a few extra cases to us. Um the um other Yep. The other um

concern about the the deliveries um I just wanted to mention that the Dartmouth Police Safety Officer happens to be here for another matter and I know he's listening and I'm not sure if the police department speaking to those drivers um or finding those drivers for for parking as they do Um, I'm fine with that is a possibility.

All I could get would be.

So, that may be something that, you know, police take notice. Maybe they'll take a little more notice. And sadly, and um I'm sure it's a convenience for them to be on um Bridge Street to head up over the bridge or to coming back off the bridge, but they really need to take that turn on. the bridge opening and closing now it's you know of course it just the whole you know the whole situation so

and and you know not to sound like I'm on the council on aging but back in the day you had to you know you had your drivers you used to you know give them a gift certificate cuz they were your drivers and they took really good care of you but that's not the way it is anymore you get a different driver almost every delivery the time of day you most of them we don't even know

until they show up what time they're coming so it's not something that is easily controlled from our end, but any support from the town would be very much welcomed.

Thank you. Uh Mr. Tatabone.

Yep. Thank you. Um we received uh a well-written letter from Sharon Trip from Davis and Trip. She's the president regarding um uh the issue of of parking and congestion and trucks on the street.

Well written, not adversarial. She's just concerned about what's going to be.

I think you already made the point about it's not going to be a giant uh increase in what they're doing, but it is something different. I think on the other hand, we have an opportunity uh to do something maybe a little different.

Uh way back when uh we talked about a loading zone on the street designated for trucks. Um when when yeah, that was discussed way. Yes. when when when pharmarmac first first opened and we talked about it in the u in the u parking uh uh committee and I would propose be a good time ever that for instance I'm not a safety officer and I am not a fire department official but to consider that for

instance the space across the street from scuttlebutt there's that zone there that could be perfect the location to park a truck and it'd the uh it could service all the rest all the uh retail establishments in the area. Make that in that whole little block. It's I think it's about two or three car spaces. Uh if not, it doesn't work. Safety officer doesn't like it.

Find another place and designate someplace. It's loading zone, no parking only. Um it's a safety issue at this point. That bridge closes, there's a truck parked on the side.

Uh people are sitting there. Uh they described to me at Davidson trip of people get frustrated. They pull out around these trucks and they go out 90 miles an hour to get out of there.

And we've had a horrible thing happen a year or so ago and let's not I think this is now a safety issue. It's not about delivery or convenience. It's about safety and I would implore that we get together with the DPW and with the safety officer and try to find a place and designate for parking. I mean, it won't solve the problem entirely, but it certainly will be something that we're not doing right now. Mhm.

I had that conversation with Jody and with a couple other retailers in the area and of course they've always been a favorite. I think it's time we do it.

Thanks for listening.

Thank you, Dave. Um, actually, Officer Canario, did you want to speak on this matter or in general about um I know you're here for something else, but in general on the um stuff going on in the village that that has been an issue for a while and exactly like he stated, it was the safety officer prior to me that made the recommendation of a dedicated uh loading unloading zone. I know it was on Bridge

Street, the two parking spaces right at the the parking lot after the stop sign.

You would forfeit two parking spots, which I know parking is a premium, but it was going to be an absolute loading unloading zone 15 minutes. That's where all the trucks could fit. There's been no trucks down there that have been too big to fit in those spots. And right now, it's it is it's difficult to enforce the violations because what do you expect them to do? It it it just

ties up a cruiser when they pull up and there's a truck in the way. If we have a dedicated park parking area for loading unloading, they're going to get cighted because now you're not going in the street. Now you have a place to go. It's 15 minutes for loading unloading. If someone's there, you wait your turn and then you go. But you're not blocking the street. That is a serious public safety

hazard. And but we can't do anything about it until we have a place to tell them to go. Well, you can't park here and unload. Okay, where do we go? I don't know. Go park at a gas station.

Walk over the bridge. What are we supposed to tell them? There's no dedicated place.

How can we make this address?

How can we make it happen for this season?

So, we could we can ask for police department, DPW, I will office to work together.

What I would recommend this is kind of just thrown out there. Y um I'll look I'll revisit that area and I'll take any advice, opinions, I'll forward them to Mr. Baba and let him take that ball and run with it. who happens to be here as well.

Okay, are aligning.

Thank you.

Thank you, Steve. Anyone else have questions for on this matter?

The um Yes. Um Jody, the access to the back where where deliveries used to go, but I guess there's some construction back there now.

Um that's a different owner now.

Different. So, a different owner. So, that's off the table. That access.

Um it's an easement. Um, I don't know the legal.

What I'm told is it's 12 feet off my building, not my building, 12 feet off the back of Farm and Coast and that's it.

And it so basically any truck that needs to pull in there needs to either drive straight in and back straight out or find a way to turn around on Elm Street so that they can back into that 12 foot section. I mean, in in my personal opinion, the the bigger problem would would be to go back to no traffic and no trucks down there, and we've seen that.

Uh, and that wasn't good.

That wasn't good for the village. It wasn't good for the town.

So, you know, the these things have a tendency to to show success.

Um, you know, barring the the safety issue, which we can deal with. Um the the question that I had that I think you answered was vendor consolidation. You know, can we get uh the same types of um uh material from the same vendors that we Absolutely. Yep.

So, if we can do that, that that's obviously an effort that you've made uh to to reduce the number of trips, reduce the number of vendors that you're dealing with. Um and that's going to um that should offset a lot of the concern.

Correct. The the last thing is um would it be an option of yours to consider certain deliveries to Dartma Street and then Curry down um because I'm sure you have staff back and forth between D and the village, right?

So if we're only talking 10 cases a week or or whatever it is and and you run into trouble.

Absolutely.

Maybe we could uh you could consider um currying back and forth. Um but so so you're saying access to the back is will will still be available after this construction is done.

It's part of the So you'll be able to use that again.

It's deed like it's deed. Yeah. So so you you can't access that now, right?

Um but you will in the future once that that construction is complete, right?

All right. That's good.

Um small trucks maybe. Yeah, small. I mean, which we ask all of them to bring small trucks, but yeah, I'm I'm fine.

Okay.

Anything?

I'm just, you know, for years people, you know, we've always wanted to tout the village, tout the village. Now that the village has been touted, we we have other problems that we have to deal with. So, I mean, we're the we're the masters of our own success. Um, unfortunately, um, is this a situation that can be worked out? Sure is. Um, and I think between Officer Canario, police department, Mr. Barber,

um, figuring that out, I think that probably poses the best uh, we can hope for at that time. And I'm sure we're going to push for it. Um, and I'm sure that once that happens, there'll be other problems that'll crop up somewhere down the line, you know. So, you know, unfortunately, you know, success has its has its rewards, but it also has its misrewards. And it does.

So, we deal with it on on a certain basis. And and I think and I think, you know, everybody down in the village, you know, has a a very reasonable people. And I think um you know the association can come up with something you know to help out too. So um I don't I don't foresee this to be a uh major major issue but it's something that can be worked out I think to everybody's

somewhat satisfaction. You can't satisfy everybody, but somewhat satisfaction more than happy to work with the safety office.

And I I think um both Officer Canario and um Superintendent Barber um get the gist of what what we want to see accomplished down there and they'll get it done.

Thank you.

So, with that, I make a motion that we approve.

I think we need to ask if there's any Yeah, that's right. I forgot about that.

It's a hearing.

That's right. So before we close the hearing, are there any members of the audience that would like to speak in favor of this project?

Any members of the audience that would like to speak against the project?

This books, excuse me, in the corner.

Oh, come on up.

I would like to be recorded in favor. My name is Henry Bus. I'm a citizen in New Bedford 3870. Cushian Avenue. Thank you.

Thank you. Anyone else?

All right.

Two.

Mr. McDonald.

Motion to close the hearing.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. All in favor?

I. Thank you. We've closed the hearing.

And now if Motion to approve the request.

Motion made and seconded to approve the request. All in favor? I excellent.

Madam Chair, yes.

Make a motion that we uh direct the uh safety officer and the DPW to come up with a solution for a loading zone in the village soon as possible.

I think we're all in agreement of that.

That's my motion.

That's your motion. Seconded.

All in favor of that?

I I excellent. All right. So, I see Mr.

Barber's putting that down, pen to paper, and we'll be in touch with Mr.

Canario with Officer Canario. So, thank you on that.

Thank you.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

And again, uh alcohol will not be via tomorrow.

You're going to get alcohol before hopefully.

Okay. Thank you.

Thank you. All right. Our next item on the agenda is a joint meeting with our board of public works and I see that they are here two of our members. So they have a quorum. So have you already opened your board your meeting? Okay. So you would like to do that now?

Okay. Go ahead. Yes.

I know. I'm sorry.

Sticky like that. Excuse me.

Oh, we're doing so funny.

Madam Chair, my name is Robert Alme. I'm the chair of the board of public works.

Um, I'd like to open the meeting of Monday the 13th, a joint meeting with the select board. Um, for the record, uh, we have Mr. Gier with us. So, we have a quorum.

We have a motion by Mr. Gier. Chair seconds. All in favor?

Chair votes. I meeting is adjourn is open.

Not quite. Um, Madam Chair, as we go into this, um, there was a slight discrepancy between, um, the posting for the joint meeting and the posting for our meeting. And I don't think it will affect how the business is done, but I would uh request that the discussion of the professional engineering contract be done after we adjourn our meeting.

Okay. Um, our board got its, uh, hand slapped 18 months ago by the state over some very technical issues having to do with, uh, agendas and open meeting law.

And so, um, I sort of was the point person for it. So, I've become very sensitive, hyper sensitive to it. Absolutely. The first item that we're going to discuss tonight with your board is the fiscal year 27 water, sewer, and solid waste rates.

I'd like to have u Mr. Barber take the lead on that and I think uh we have finance director and uh available as well.

Tim, come on up. Tim.

So Tim can start with the uh solid waste rates and then uh Mr. Carrera and I will get into the water and sewer rates.

Good evening. Tim Barber, director of public works.

So a few years ago we we worked on on a rate study for water sewer and solid waste enterprise fund. Um the at that time it was proposed that we increase the the annual rate from $90 to $120 for FY26.

Um and we and we did that um last year and there was no projected increase for FY27 but there was a a larger increase for FY28 at 33%.

um looking at some increases in the budget and and some town overhead costs.

I had presented that we increase in FY27 by another $20 for $140 annual fee for the solid waste smart program. Uh which is a 16.67% increase.

So, if we had no increase this year, it would have been a 30% or so increase next year, a $40 increase next year, which was originally proposed. So, we figured we uh it'd be best to split that. So, rather than spiking an increase, we have a consistent increase annually.

Would you repeat that, Tim?

Uh rather than the rates themselves, repeat the rate. Um so LA this past year for FY26 we were at $120 uh for the year for the smart program and going into FY27 uh we are raising the rate to $140 which is a $20 increase the the bag rate. So for the orange bags for uh they those are proposed to stay at the same rate for $5 for for five small bags and $10 for five large bags

stays the same.

Stay the same. Yes.

And what can you tell us? I mean the thing that's you know we're constantly getting asked about the we eliminated that the orange bags came in another bag.

We put a sticker on them. Then the sticker gave us problems. Where are we with all of this? There has been training videos on Facebook on how to slice the um sticker without slicing the bag. This is a big deal.

It is.

So, so you know they the company uh waist arrow our bag vendor uh you know wanted to become more environmentally friendly.

So rather than uh package the bags in another bag, plastic bag, they went with a paper wrap with a glued strip on it. And when when that it was on the bottom, so when you overlapped it, the glue strip would sometimes stick to the bag and you couldn't open the bag. um with a number of complaints, we reached out to a serero um and asked them to revise their packaging and

they changed the the glue strip and location so it wouldn't stick to the bag anymore. So recently I've seen I haven't seen many complaints.

Well, I thank you absolutely reaching out to way zero.

Um and that is our orange bag dispute.

So you are here just talking about the solid waste which is the pickup curbside pickup. Um the increase for FY 27 which is what we're in now will move to $140.

Yes.

Okay. And that also includes that also includes the use of the transfer station um in and the uh brush and leaf drop off area.

Yes, Mr. Silva, can you walk me through how we um determine that $140 is the right number um for what we're doing right now? like like how like specifically I'll have the same questions for water and sewer like how are we forecasting equipment needs, capital needs uh and incorporating that information into the rates.

So and I and sorry and what I want to get to is a is a place where we can level out our rate increases over time. Right?

We in the context of water, right? We had the midyear 13% increase. Um, we've have significant increases that are on the horizon. I would love to get to a place on all of our enterprise funds where we can have a more routine normal increase versus having the sort of spikes up and down that we've been seeing recently uh or at least as recent as I've been paying attention to them.

Absolutely. So we we took that rate study and and I I went through the rate study and rather than have skipping years and having higher increases every other year, you know, I I I redvised it to have more consistent increases every year annually. So it's more it's more expected, you know, and and you don't have those spikes. We also um during the rate study uh the consultant that we used u their goal was if to

keep a 15% retained earning uh for for capital improvement and I think in solid waste it's important that to say that 15% doesn't get you very far right you know what a a solid waste vehicle or recycling vehicle there in range of about a $450,000.

Um so so that you know just that 15% would be pretty quickly. So so we're um I'm looking at trying to stay above 20% in in retained earnings and and and that's what's forecasted currently.

How confident are we that 20% is the right number? Right? Like we we know what our assets are, right? What our fixed cost I mean what our capital costs are going to be over time, right? is a trash truck that has to be replaced every x number of years.

How how confident are we that that is is 20% a number that we've we've done analysis to get to or is it it just feels right? It's better than the 15% the consultant said. You know what I'm saying?

So currently 22% is about 700 just just under 700,000.

But does that give us what we need in order to be able to fund the capital needs that we will have and that we can expect to have over the course of the next decade or so?

It currently does. If we if we move to electrification, which uh the state was pushing for, um that that will definitely change things where a solid waste or recycling vehicle uh battery powered would cost closer to a million dollars. Uh so OB that wouldn't work in that case. Um but you know we're also looking at constant increases every year will drive up those the retained earnings to higher towards towards 35 or

40% so we can we can look at capital improvements such as that.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

How often are we replacing those trash trucks? Um, so recently I think we've we've replaced a recycling truck and a solid waste truck uh opposite every year. So So one year replace a solid waste, one one year replace a recycle.

Sorry. Yep. Go ahead, Dave. Uh just as an aside, the electric vehicle uh it's a million dollars versus or double the cost.

Uh the savings that it represents uh uh justified in any way in terms of the operating every day.

It may in in in a smaller town. Um so looking at capacities in battery uh capacity uh you're looking at replacing one uh diesel-powered vehicle with two electric powered vehicles.

in the the efficiency uh does it make will it make up for the additional cost of operating it or many data that support it?

I think if we had if we had um you know we do have solar um power for electric but I think think adding additional solar or alternative energy to to to power those vehicles you know would would make them more efficient. the the cost just to add that infrastructure is is upwards of over 500 $600,000 just to add the the charging infrastructure.

So we'd have the infrastructure cost.

The vehicles themselves are about $2 million and we're spending $450 every other year for a solid waste truck.

doesn't make a lot of sense to me. But only other issue was the cost us to operate the um the diesel truck versus a solar, right? We we we look at that cost as well. And you know, how long do the batteries last in an electric truck of that size, you know? So that's also a question.

Maybe too soon to invest in that because that technology is changing dramatically.

Well, the state has backed off on that.

They have you know there are municipalities who have put um you know put this to use where they are you know they're they have infrastructure that creates energy whether it's a you know aerobic digtor or or or solar that that are fueling these these trucks um and and that seems to work and be efficient if you have all that infrastructure.

Thank you.

You're welcome, Mr. McDonald.

Unless the state gives us those electric trucks for free, this whole proposal, excuse the pun, is garbage.

Yeah. Yeah.

Um, you know, we have 210 miles of road that these trucks go through and usually the capacity for these vehicles are probably less than 300. So, these trucks are going to be um once they go to the facility and come back, more than likely they're going to be less their charge.

So, I I would be absolutely deadent against any electric vehicle for any municipal work vehicle other than a little Prius that somebody has to go to here and there for or some other vehicle, but a work truck. No, it's not going to work. And yeah, but no, sometimes the state I wonder where the state of their state of mind is sometimes, but um this is ridiculous on the uh on the fee increase

for um the annual smart fee. Let me just say this. I'm willing to I'm a customer.

I'm willing to pay it.

On the average, two bags a week, 52 at $140, I'll be paying $384 a year for you guys to take my trash. Sometimes I go through maybe three bags a week, depending upon, you know, whatever it is, especially if I have the grandkids over and they want to, you know, snack away and we got to throw stuff away. Even at two and a half, I'll be paying $400. You break

that down on a monthly cost, it's less than $40 a month. There are people out there that are getting ABC because it's so convenient for them not to recycle that they're paying 75 to 100 bucks a month and it's costing them $1,200. Even at a hundred bucks, it's costing them $1,200 to throw their trash away. I'm doing it for 400.

This is a bargain. I don't care what anybody says. Smart in this town is a bargain. And because we're doing the recycling, we have that guy right there telling us that we're going to be having, you know, a landfill that should have been closed well over 10 years ago that's extended to life because Dartmouth is doing its share and recycling at a greater clip than our community over there, which I

can understand sometimes. So, you know, this is one rate increase that I will defend because it's a bargain. And now, this is where I'm going to get on my high horse.

You weren't on your high horse?

No. No, it was a small pony.

Um, he's letting us know, though.

When it comes time to doing the solid waste, this town needs to do to deal with the same way you pick up the trash is the same way you pick up the recycling.

We should have a bin for trash. First of all, one of the things that everybody and anybody complains is that you put your trash out on a on a Sunday night, Monday morning, you're picking up papers because the squirrels, the rabbits, the raccoons or whatever have gotten at it.

And you could try all sorts of stuff.

Ammonia in the bag, ammonia around the bag. Somehow they still, you know, the wildlife around here probably treats ammonia like crack and they just go after the bags. So pretty resilient. We need to we need to start thinking about the one arm dealing with the trash. Not only for that, but also for the safety of the pickers so that the pickers are not on the back of the trucks, especially in a torrential rain

where they could possibly slip, end up on the road and somebody actually hitting them or dealing with individuals who have over capacity on the bags. You know, these guys are picking up thousands of bags a day and it's wears and tears on the the bags. There's no if ends or buts about it. And you know, we need to do something. We need to move to a more automated recycling. Still buy the bags,

but put it in the bin. And that way the arm picks it up. Boom. Bang. Gone. Out.

And you know, yeah, you're going to reduce your labor cost, but those labors those laborers can be put somewhere else in the in the DPW where they're needed, like construction, water, you know, that area, too. So, it's a re redistributing of the labor. So, we seriously need to start thinking about doing an automated on the trash for not only for the safety of the men, for the safety of the crew

and also for the well-being of the, you know, so that the town doesn't look like, you know, every Sunday night, you know, the north end of the town doesn't have trash blowing or on Thursdays the south end doesn't have trash blowing around because the wildlife gets at it some. And, you know, to be honest with you, squirrels are tough. You know those suckers know how to tear those bags open.

I know at one point we had talked about this.

So where are we?

There was kind of an idea in place that we had we had separated recycling. So we have cardboard and then we have plastic cans. So it was thought that if at some point um having co-mingled recycling would be uh more efficient and cost effective then we could move to coingled and then have the second bin as a as a as trash or a solid waste. Um that that hasn't come into

uh fruition. it the the the separation and the processing of of recycling is is costly when you when you co-mingle. So we've you know we've we've kept our costs low as well for that. So you know there may be an additional cost increase to to go that way or we add a third bin and and and to add a third bin we would also have to uh add additional vehicles.

So, so that would be that would be the first investment would be additional bins in uh I think three vehicles.

I don't mind the third bin as long as it's green so it separates this this green trash. Boom. See you later. I don't mind it. I got the room.

Maybe an orange lid to match the orange.

No orange lids. Green and orange. No.

So, um, the $450,000 every other year is to pick up our trash that shaped truck or the $450 is the recycling truck.

They're both about the same same cost.

Um, and we alternate. So, one year we buy a recycling truck, one year we buy a trash truck, and then we take an older truck out of service.

So, we would need more trucks.

Correct.

and and another bin.

That is correct.

Something to think about.

Yeah, we can we can look at cost and and look at what that investment would would be.

So, Mr. Barbara, when will this when will we get the new updated bill?

Uh, that will be and now FY27.

Yep. So, that will be going out uh within the next week or two. Yep.

So we have not paid this year's you have not we have not okay so you you're getting you're getting use of the service before you pay for it all right it's like a sale one thing um the board and the public should be aware of in the analysis provided they are even with the $20 increase they are projecting um a deficit for fiscal 27 Um, so I just want you to be mindful of

that. That retained earnings is down to about $594,000.

We appropriated $400,000 at town meeting for uh a new truck. So we were at $9.94.

That brings us down to 594. Um, if we were we're still closing our books from the past fiscal year, it's going to be tight. Um, if we ran a surplus, it's not going to be a significant surplus. So I wouldn't anticipate retained earnings going up anymore. And if you run another $183,000 deficit, your retained earnings are down to, you know, around $300,000.

So that that means no new truck for the next two years if we don't if we keep rates at just the $20 projection. They're all and then and then we kind of break even based on the calculation here um in fiscal 28. But you remember retained earnings are certified the year after, right? So we're we're going to we're going to certify 26 and 27. So you're looking at not buying a truck for the

next two years if we only do this rate increase and we're going to run a deficit. We have enough in retained earnings to cover it, but we are going to run a deficit based on this projection.

So that's that's really the question I'm asking is is is the increase that we're recommending adequate to provide for our operating costs and our capital needs into the future.

Right. And the the FY26 also showed a $183,000 deficit from the consultants uh report. Uh but if you look currently look at the expenditures and the and the um the enterprise fund, it is close. It's not in deficit.

We have to take out liabilities when we certify the retained earnings though. So that's what typically pushes us over.

So, should we be looking at instead of this $20, should we be looking at the a $30 increase this year?

I mean, it's something for the I think the Board of Public Works to consider. I just wanted to make it, you know, I don't want to throw something on you and then the end of the year you go, "What?

Why? We ran a deficit. Why?" And clearly projecting a deficit.

How many How many customers in the system?

About 10,000. 10,000.

So a $10 increase is 100,000.

Yes.

For every 10 it's 100.

Yes.

Okay.

So I did run the numbers for a $30 increase as well.

Which which doesn't show a projected deficit for FY27 or FY28.

And that would be $30 this year. It it'd actually be I'm sorry. It'd be $32.40.

Yeah.

I don't want to I want to round that off.

Yeah.

So, and then we're saying the following year an additional I mean it sounds like we would have to do an additional 30.

We're still if if to keep this pace to be able to buy these trucks, which I'd say next year it's not going to be 450.

It's going to be more than that.

I mean, let me ask you this. Can can we can we operate without buying a truck for 2 years? Do we like are we do we have the right pace of replacing trucks or are we are we not cons are we too conservative or not conservative enough? I think we we maintain our fleet pretty well and uh and and we have bought new vehicles and over the last couple years. So we we

could take a look at at what we have for a fleet and what what would we need what our capital expenses would be for the next 10 years.

Yeah, I think that's that's the important part cuz we like I said, we know what our assets are and we know how frequently they must be replaced. I'd say let's make sure that we're replacing them at the correct frequency. there's no sense on getting rid of good equipment. Um, but if we are replacing them at the correct frequency, then we must have rates that provide for those needs. Um, otherwise we're going to

we're going to be in trouble.

Correct.

So that that would be my recommendation to the to the board of public works is making sure that we can have rates that adequately cover the needs of the of the department. No, still a bacon.

Mr. You had a Okay, hang on.

Um Gary Carrera, director of finance. Uh under Mass General law, we're not allowed to run deficits in enterprise funds. The solution to that is the general fund takes that burden and we would have to petition the state in order to do that. Um the board remembers what happened mid year last year with the water and sewer rates. We had to midyear increase those rates. We're here now the beginning of the fiscal year.

So, I would advise the board to do everything they can to make those rates whole. We may have to raise it more than $30. Um, I haven't I just looked at that analysis today that uh Tim provided um in order to build reserve and the CIPC can go ahead and and buy those trucks.

And the $400,000 trucks this year are going to be half a million dollars next year. We looked at the electric trucks.

Those things are, you know, a million dollars. I agree with Sean that, you know, that's still in in the test mode.

Those those trucks are, you know, it's the charges. It's everything else that goes with it. Those are those are major expense for communities. Um, and we're not a beta site for that. So, we wouldn't get any any breaks. Uh, but my recommendation to the board is um to look at increasing it at least $30 and then maybe even more for uh building capital uh reserve because we don't even have enough right now to buy another

truck.

Mhm.

So, who who sets the rate? Are we setting the rates or the board of public works?

We've historically well in recent times we've always done it as a joint meeting.

The select board is aware. I think in the past there was some contention with kind of the the not as much collaboration. So we've tried to make it a joint process but at the end of the day it's a vote by the board of public works.

I like collaboration.

And just a couple of things, I'll also speak on the water and sew while I'm up here. Uh, as you know that the uh the the um the meeting in December addressed the deficits that were in those accounts. Um, and we're proposing or the proposal is 7 and a half% for water, 16% for sewer. It does build in some a little bit amount for reserve. Usually, typically we build in like 1 to 2% for

reserve so that we can build those balances back up, especially if we're talking about multi-million dollar treatment plants uh that we're looking in the horizon. Um but I also want to mention that um over the last over the few fiscal years 20 to maybe 2019 20 2122 there was 0% rate increases and I know that we've talked about that in the past that those are actually negative rate increases now we're trying to catch

up because those expenses were still increasing you know the 2 3 4% every year there was still inflation in 2019 so that's something that we're you know we're trying to look at o over long term uh but we I I don't think that going back down on the rates helps. I think that we have to continue that minimal increase every year. 16% is a lot for sewer because we talked about the

biohazards that were happening and the trans the transformation how we're going to transport those those materials. But to go back down on the rates, I think you're going to just uh double up on rates uh for fiscal 28. And that's only my recommendation.

And we also need to look at it as a whole. We're raising all three of these rates on the same households.

Mr. Elme, uh, Madame Chair, if the select board has no more comments or questions on solid waste, um, I'll entertain a motion to increase the rates, the annual cost of the smart program.

Well, I think I think the recommendation here is that The rate should be raised to at least a $30 increase for fiscal 27.

Heard Tim mention 3250.

Yeah.

Yep.

Okay.

I would recommend that um that the that the rate holds off at least till August 1st. There's no there's no immediate ne necessity that we have to set have to set the rate tonight for the trash. My recommendation only because I we would like to like fine-tune that, maybe have some meetings with Tim to to address that additional increase if there's more than $30. I don't think throwing a

number of $30 out there right now is prudent. If we need to maybe increase it, maybe another $5 uh and come back in to the August meeting, you know, and uh I think Cody might even agree with this.

Come back to the August meeting and set that rate in August. The one month is really not going to uh make much of a difference, I think, to get the right number.

Well, the rate the rate last year didn't come out until what, September? Bills are usually uh bill it might have been August the bill the bill would went out late last year and probably because of the timing of meetings. You're right. So I my recommendation is that we hold off on this until we can have a meeting with Tim to see what that number should be and then we come back to the board with an increase.

That's fine.

Thank you Gary. That that certainly makes sense. We don't want to have to do this again and we don't want to do it another midyear change.

Our next meeting is the 22nd which is uh a week from tomorrow. So if the professional staff can have something for us to look at, we can have a detailed discussion and perhaps be a little more efficient with your time.

Not a problem.

This is educational for not only the board but our our town's people to know what's going on. So So I've got a motion.

to table. Uh the motion's been sec. I will second the motion. Uh all in favor?

Yes.

Thank you. Next on the agenda, we want to talk about water and sewer.

Uh thank you. So, uh Mr. Carrero and I have been working diligently, uh actually really over the past year to um you know, examine water and sewer operations, particularly water. Uh, as you know, we ran a significant deficit last year uh in water and so and we had to do a mid-year rate increase in water uh quite significantly at 13%. So something we never want to want to have to put on our residents. So, uh, we've

worked to try to project out the costs for fiscal 27 using essentially what we've budgeted and then you heard me mention those liabilities. Um, when so in do's um, infinite wisdom, you would think that um, surplus revenue is was exactly that. You would take all of your revenue, you take all your expenses, you do a subtraction, and that should give you what retained earnings are. That's not how it works. So, you

have your liabilities that that you have to factor in. And so, um, even if we have a year where, let's say, uh, we brought in $8 million in water revenue, uh, and we spent 7.5 million, we're averaging around 700 or $800,000 in liabilities. So, we would actually run a deficit that year. So, that's something that we have to try to project every year as well. So, Gary and I look at

that. Uh when we look at water, the good news is is in fiscal 26 um we we were kind of right on the money with uh the rate increases. And so we will run a surplus this year and we'll start to build up our retained earnings uh again this year. Um like I said, the liabilities are kind of those biggest question that we'll we'll kind of iron out over the next month or so and then

we'll submit to the Department of Revenue to get our number certified. Um but the good news is is we saw um significant revenue increases not just from the um increase in the rate but also our switch to quarterly billing has really helped us and everyone's on the same cycle now. So we're sending out those quarterly bills. It's not in different sections. Um so that that helps to get capture all of the revenue

for the fiscal year with that. Um we build in uh for water about a 2% contingency um in the in the rate that we projected out. And so we're we're we're recommending a 7.5% rate increase uh for fiscal 27 in the water department. Um this includes about 2% for uh contingency capital, what what may you want to what you want to call it. Um operational costs, we're anticipating about a 5% increase that that's needed

in the rate to kind of get us there. And when when you when you look at the sheet that we put together with the $148,000 margin, um that's not your overall retained earnings, that's in addition.

So that's building retained earnings.

That's not what retained earnings balance would be. The retained earnings balance would continue to increase.

That's just what we project it to um increase by. So um good I think good news overall on the waterfront. I know 7 and a half% is not great. Uh but as Mr.

Carrero mentioned, you know, we're still making up for the for the past. The big jump over this year really helped to stabilize us. And these are more of the rates that we want to see going forward.

Um, you see the the major factor being this continued purchase of water from the city of New Bedford. We do have a number of wells that have been offline back online. However, we have been in significant droughts and that means a number of our wells have to come offline as we're in a drought during periods when um water usage is at its highest.

And so that's that's something we have to be mindful as well. The rate from New Bedford uh that they charge us for water was uh the increase was lower this year than it has been in the past. However, what we don't want to do is what we've done in the past, which is could we get by with a 5% rate increase this year potentially. But then what happens next year when a cost goes up beyond the

typical 2 or 3%? We're having to see those spiked rate increases. And that's that's really what we're trying to avoid. Um so that's that's our recommendation for water. Uh I think you know this helps to stabilize us. It does not build in you know these huge um it doesn't build in huge capacity for debt service as we go forward. Our some of our debt is dropping off. Uh Mr.

Carrero's looked at our debt schedule and so some of that starts to drop off.

So that obviously helps as you bring on new debt because some of it's dropping off. Um but it it you know it helps to stabilize us going forward. But I I would say unfortunately the days of three and 4% increases at least in the near future are are over. Um just the cost of things are, you know, they're astronomical. The the what we're having to pay, the chemical costs. Um tank

cleaning, we have to get our tanks regularly cleaned and kept up with. A couple million dollars to get a tank painted and cleaned. Um and so you just see when your um retained earnings are down to $200,000 and and a couple million is routine maintenance, we we have to start to build this these reserves up because we need to be able to cover our um routine maintenance through retained earnings. And we should really

only be borrowing for those large large scale projects um you know full uh replacements, things like that. you know, multi-million dollar projects that we should be uh borrowing for. Mr. Crow may have something to add.

Yeah, I just I think the key point here is as we move forward, I think that on uh Nathan's uh point um is the stability of the rate and forecasting that out and uh so that if the rate increase is a 5% or 6% increase each year, we can forecast that. We can make sure that it's not a 13%, it doesn't go back down to a 2% and it gives the residents a

little bit more comfort level uh in budgeting. I mean, quite frankly, they they know what to expect. Um, and working closely now with the new um operations and business manager down there. Uh, hopefully we can we can tie all this in and so that she's on board with with trying to get this moving forward. So, uh, we have a plan going forward. I I would really like to see that analysis, like the full analysis of

how we're looking towards things like tank cleanings and how we're forecasting that into the future. Similar to the my discussions with the the trash, like to me, it's a math problem, right? We know what our what our assets are. We know what our routine maintenance is. We know when we need to replace a pump. We know all of the parts of our operation uh that need to be factored into the money

that this enterprise funds will have to dish out. Right? So, it's it's a math problem. And if we're doing a relatively simple analysis, we should be able to forecast into the future a steady rate that keeps us solvent, not in deficit, and with enough cash to pay for our routine maintenance. So, I would love to see that analysis. Um, yeah, I'm assuming it exists.

We Well, you know, with the new operations manager they have down there, I want to be working with her. And that's kind of what the goal would be to get some stabilization, look at that going forward and forecast that out multiple years, a 5year and a 10 year uh program. But also keep in mind that we're off the heels of opera funding, which we received almost $9 million. uh to the board's credit and I think to

this board's credit we a lot of that was put to good use for the for the high for the DPW uh for water and sewer but coming off the heels of that means now we're self-supporting those we're supporting those now with with at least retained earnings which includes rate increases and you know we have to we have to also factor that in and to your point we we know kind of what uh we

should know what uh the uh projects are going forward how does that work into the into the rate also how does it work into future borrowings That's that's something needs to be looked at.

And to be honest, I'm I'm I'm I'm happy that we got $9 million worth of money from ARPA. What would we have done if we didn't get that money from ARPA that you would have had to borrow for projects that they would we have the cash to fund?

We would the rates would the rates would have to increase because of borrowing.

So again, I don't like to look backwards to go forward, but to me, it seems like we should have continued increasing rates as if we weren't getting OPA funds so that we could continue to build the capacity to fund ourselves and not be in a situation where now in the year of 2026, we have a 13% increase mid year.

We we did increase funds uh increase uh while we were receiving opera funds when they talked about those 0%s that was all precoid.

I guess my my point is I would love to see a scenario where we have a like you said a steady rate increase that we can predict year after year that keeps us solvent and I think with a little analysis we should be able to get that information. I'd I'd love to to to see it and and I' I'd be willing to help out with it. um uh one of the one of the main main tasks

for this new position down at the DPW is to to get a handle on um that going forward and projecting out 5 to 10 years uh and and the useful life of a lot of these lot of these facilities and projects and equipment that they have is a is a key component to this you know absolutely and that certainly is going to be the the part of the role of the new business

manager down at the DPW but it's also the work of the board of public works to be analyzing that operations operations.

Mr.

Yes, Mr. Tattleman.

Um, I think let we consider the uh the rates that we're charged uh from the city of New Bedford. Uh it it doesn't look like we're going to use less water.

We're probably going to use more water.

It feels like a runaway train. I think we should consider a a new team to visit the city uh to find out where we actually stand and is any possibility of uh uh bulk rates anything we could do to try to stop that freight train because uh they do hold us uh very much uh in liability and maybe there's a way we can do something about it to relieve some of that stress

because it's only going to get worse and we're projecting over almost three million over $3 million right FY27 I mean where do we spend that kind of money on one account in the entire town and maybe there's some relief there, but I think it requires a whole different approach uh to the mayor and to their water department.

Thank you, Mr. Chattam. The um Oh, Mr. O'Neal. Tim, can I just ask you uh these three rates um solid waste, water, and sewer? Did we use a uh the consulting company that we've used in the past to to try and estimate what the increases should be this year?

No, we did not.

We didn't. No. Any idea what we saved by not hiring the consultants and having this done inside?

I'm sorry.

How much did we save by not having a a third party consultant?

Um I think the annual cost is is about 30 to to 50,000 for a rate study.

We we're doing these estimates inside now.

Yes.

Okay.

I feel a little bit more comfortable having uh the administration staff and DPW staff do our own estimates going forward. I think last year was um was a colossal waste of money using we we have a we have a a a great workbook to work from now from that rate study that we can put to use in house.

Good.

Thank you.

And I I just wanted to say regarding the the the new bed rate for water, they did propose a mild increase of 2.38%.

Um but they the the actual rate that they sent us uh was incorrect. Um so we you know we've projected the the actual increase per the percentage. Uh we've been in contact with the city and they they've actually confirmed that the in the rate is not going to increase right today um or July 1st and and the next waterboard meeting is in September for the city of New Bedford to discuss rate increases

on the on that's for the water. So for the sewer side, they had a nominal increase of 2.38% and uh that they sent us in March that I just received today an updated increase for the sewer uh for 11.2%. So while we're on the water, um can you give us a quick update on uh any um other ancillary connections versus New Bedford? I don't know where that stands.

So currently, um I I kind of we met with this the town of Westport. Um they have they have a set of plans that were drawn up for the uh extension of the water man from Fall River, a 12-in water man to the to the town line, not going under the covert, not including any infrastructure uh to connect. So that that was estimated a couple years ago at 5 million. So I would say that'd

be probably closer to 6 million now.

plus plus additional infrastructure. Um we've also met I met with Fall River and the city of Fall River is interested in in in an agreement with us and they would discuss a drop rate. So basically you set a threshold once you hit that rate they drop the they drop the rate to something a little lower. Um the uh state rep uh Marquy and Senator Montigy worked on a bond bill uh of um

$1 million towards that infrastructure improvement, but we would still need, you know, another at least another 6 million.

Um we are continue to work on our wells and our our 579 O Westport road. Uh the four log system um is complete. So, we are pumping the Penelli wells. We do have a couple, you know, issues since those wells were off for a number of years. We, you know, one of the well pumps is out right now. We lost a well pump, so they're going to replace that uh hopefully within the next week. Um,

but we are we are pumping from the Penelli wells. Um, our Ewells are actually pumping today from all the rain that we've had over the last week and a half. Um, so that's a good thing. We are pumping from the Ewells. Um and uh that's pretty much it for now.

And the damage from the wells was mostly due to lightning strike. Correct.

Uh damage uh this winter was from a from the blizzard. It actually broke a telephone pole at at the uh 299 facility and then and it surged everything. So, actually our our F walls currently off waiting waiting for a transformer that's scheduled to be delivered in August.

Yeah.

I I I noticed um Mr. G had suggested the surge protection for certain buildings.

Absolutely.

Where are we on that?

Yeah. So, we're working with our electricians on on all this infrastructure upgrade and we we're talking with them for surge protection as well for all that new infrastructure that they're installing.

So Silva, if we were to pursue this idea of connecting to Fall River at the tune of five maybe $6 million depending on if a bond bill gets pushed through that would be something that imagine we would have to go to debt you know debt ser you know we couldn't fund that with retained earnings.

I think if we if Westport would is interested we have some discussions with them. It sounds like Fall River is interested. With that, we may be able to look at some regional grant funding um to create some, you know, the idea of like a regional water district you you'd call it. And we could get significant grant funding um particularly we have a number of affordable units coming in and

the state loves to see uh affordable housing, you know, support of affordable housing. So, uh our next step, the Mass Works grants open up again um in the fall, I believe it is. Um, we would look to pursue another Mass Works grant, see what we could get from funding there, and then, you know, maybe uh work with our legislators to try to get some more funding through the uh economic

development bills, the state budget, so on and so forth. And then last resort would be we would have to really do a costbenefit analysis in a payback period of um you know if what our cost would be how long would it take us to get our our money back and is that the best place to put it or do we do we because we're also going to be doing a sourcing study to

look at uh expanding our own sourcing.

Is the money better spent there? I don't have the answer. These are just things we need to we would need to analyze before we dump I'd say millions of dollars into another interconnection.

All right. And we also need to know exactly what are we going to be charged if it's exorbitant. If it isn't if it's not better than the rate we have with New Befford, then we don't want to entertain the ultimate uh expense of doing Yeah. If we can do it for no cost or minimal cost, it's never a bad idea to have more redundancy in the system. Um and Tim and I have talked about that

and we both Yeah. what the cost would be. Absolutely.

I agree with that. And I think the residential rates for New Bedford Fall River are pretty similar. So it's it's basically the the percentage over that they would charge us.

All right. No good news. What we haven't finished though.

No, we're still need to talk about sewer. So, the last thing I'll say about water is um in Gary and I's analysis, the 7.5% is really what we need to bring in in additional revenue from the rates.

What we didn't do in what would be more on DPW and the business manager would be to determine, you know, is there a better structure for us to be charging?

Should we be trying charging commercial, right, high volume commercial users at a higher rate to help offset that cost? um EMI the facility over there you were they online in May was it May they were online?

Yes.

Yeah. So in May they were online we saw a huge increase in the amount of water that we needed and we had to purchase more water from New Bedford as a result.

So, um, that's something I think we need to look forward look to in the future and that may help us offset some of the, you know, residential impact, right?

Because we're just saying we need a 7.5% increase overall. If we look at structure in the future and we're charging for a higher rate for those high volume users, that may help to alleviate the average residential user.

So, that I just want to make that known.

That does not take any new structure or revised structure into account. strictly if you take our existing structure today, we need an additional 7.5% to cover our expenses and build in a little a little bit of a buffer.

Okay.

All right.

Sewer is very similar um as far as the analysis that we utilized. Um with sewer, the the the unfortunate fact is we're looking at a 16% increase being recommended. And the driver behind that is simply um the bioolids which Tim can certainly talk more about. We've talked about it at town meeting though you saw it we talked about when we approved the fiscal 27 budget for um the sewer

enterprise fund. That was the the whole reason that we saw such a large increase. Um the current contract for the bioolids is up in October I believe it is. And so we have budgeted an additional $900,000 about $100,000 a month in additional costs that the town will have to incur. Um and so that that is really the biggest driver um of of the 16% increase.

And I well mentioned the 16 again 16% does not build a huge buffer in the future. It does not take into account all those capital costs. does not take into account um the fact that we have a sewer treatment plant that at least we'll need to spend $50 million on on the lowest side. It does not begin to take those things into account. So, but we're really trying to come up with a

solution that um we're we're trying not to throw 25 30% rate increases on the residents because I mean we 16% is already much higher than we would ever want to go. This is a one of those unfortunate things where the bioolids and and Tim and his team are working to try to find alternative solutions. Um but we're it is you know well I I think it's important that Tim explain a little bit of of what happened

that transition and what we're looking the bios what we're looking at in October and the vendors that we're looking at and and so on just so people understand what we're up against. So the the bioolids is basically the the the solids or sludge that comes in to the sewer is separated from the from the liquid and then uh there are a lot of wastewater treatment facilities who actually haul out the

liquid sludge and and send it out to uh being processed elsewhere. Um and that's very expensive. Uh our system has been built on a composting uh process where that sludge is dehydrated and and brought to high temperatures and then and pressed and created into a a cake and then it's it's mixed with the brush uh that we chip and process and and a compost uh material is made. That was that's always been

considered a gradea uh compost material.

And that that material has been uh sold through a vendor and we we currently make revenue off of that and we have for many years and until recently um you know we we thought we'd continue moving in this path and the state and other states as well are coming up with regulations to ban the uh composting for land application. So that's what it it's used for. It's used for land application

after it's treated and composted. Um so the state of Massachusetts has not currently banned it, but the word is out and a lot of people are concerned and it's due to uh PAS forever chemicals that are in, you know, many manufactured goods, whether it's paper plates to uh fire suppressants to, you know, fire retardant clothing. um there's PAS in in in food packaging. So it ends up it ends

up you know in groundwater it ends up in solid waste. Um that's the cycle right.

So so without any testing of the bioolids or the compost material they you know people are refusing to to land applicate and apply this because of the impending regulations. So we're looking at alternative. So, so currently we have, you know, that cost estimate which is to haul uh the dehydrated uh bioolids and and possibly as with some compost wood chips as well. Um, but we're also

looking at other other alternative uh ways to to get rid of it whether it's land applied in other states or or another process. But but the the problem is that in the past we received income for that uh in the way of what a million bucks a year.

Um no it wasn't that much but but it wasn't it wasn't an expense. So so it was some small revenue and and we're turning around and now now it's looking at um 1.2 could be 1.2 million per year.

That's what it was. The expense is actually going to be at a million but you know a couple years ago we were making money on it. Yes. So, so people understand what you're up against.

Yeah.

Okay.

There's a phrase here that can't be said.

Oh, good news here.

Oh, good news here.

Oh, they saved money on the consultants.

That's good news. Yeah, we didn't pay him. Good.

Mr. G is going to come to the mic.

Good evening, Madam Chair. I think you did make it uh quite clear there is no good news. Um I did want to speak on the issue relative to the sewer in the sewer rate. Um couple of meetings ago at the board of public works uh your town administrator and your finance director met with the board and went over what the capital plan needs are for the wastewater uh facility improvements. Uh,

as you know, we've awarded the contract for the comprehensive wastewater management plan, but I think there's a you there's a sleeping giant that we've been very concerned about and the board has talked significantly about it and we've made comments to the zoning board of appeals and that is how the additional we have calculated 1,400 total units will be coming on and will be connected ed to the wastewater

treatment plant. Um, we're very concerned about this. We recently commissioned our consultants Dante to do an analysis and Tim and his team put together all the possibilities of what we could be looking at as the number of new uh, homes uh, housing units that could be uh, coming online. And we're very concerned. The preliminary numbers show us that we're going to be hitting an 80%. An 80% is a factor that D uses

and it's basically as you have higher frequencies. So when you hit 80% of the capacity of the plant, which happens like with some of the rainstorms we saw over the last few weeks, um they in fact uh become concerned that your plant can't handle uh you know that kind of uh frequency or volume.

We're very concerned that this is going to result in when that CWMP is done a very very high cost. Uh you look at communities and what they have paid for wastewater plant improvements. It's staggering and you see what the cost is, you know, that is then passed on to uh the folks who are the users. Our concern is as a board that this gets triggered sooner with these additional 1400 units

that have come on. And I I'm I along with my board members feel that that is is unfair because the rateayers and the people that are tied into the sewer have paid for all the improvements all along and we now have commercial rental property for profit coming in and taking capacity what little capacity we have left. At our last meeting, I raised the issue and I asked him and his team to go

and look at what's happening in the metro Boston area because to me, if you are in a commercial venture and you're getting revenue for the rental of the apartments, then in fact, there should be a different rate for that than burdening the the households that are strictly, you know, residential purposes.

But I I I cringe because I've actually was around for all three of the improvements that went to that plant.

One of the improvements, the major improvement which was done when the House of Correction was built was paid totally by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by an agreement that Bill Moer, Roger Tugis, and Biff Mlan worked out with Sheriff Babowski and uh the uh office in Boston that they would pay for those improvements and the connection there. original plant when it was built in 72. That plant was covered almost 90%

by the cost of the clean the clean water act under the administration and some of the sewer connections that went with it.

We're not going to be in that situation.

If you are lucky, you will get on the intended use plan for the state revolving funds for sewer um assistance and bonding. But even that is no longer at 0% interest. they they will maybe charge you 2%. Uh there will be benefits in that you they will give you funding during the construction at no interest so you won't have to do any short-term borrowing. But we're we're looking and I think it's fair that the viewing

audience be aware that we've got probably next to building a new school.

one of the biggest costs that are going to come down the line very soon and it is accelerated by these additional 1,400 units and I brought this up and the comprehensive wastewater management plan is going to help it we're going to prioritize it is we have also all of the residential units for the 16 different sewer projects that were done since 2000 where People are not tied in areas like Lake

Nokachoke area, the streets that are around Lake Nokachoke, Reed Road. I've seen some of the preliminary data and there are probably close to a hundred homes that were reached by sewer in the 1970s that are not hooked in. And what concerns me is these people have been paying betterments. All of those projects, every single one of them since 2000 has been funded by a betterment, no

town funds, by a betterment that is paid for by the beneficiaries of that sewer passing in front of their house. And some of those betterments were significant and people have been paying them as part of their tax bill for the last 20 years. I don't want to be around when the 1,400 units take all the capacity and one of those people comes in or hundreds of them come in and say, "Hey,

you you propose extending the sewer to help improve the water at Lake Noachoke, but now I can't tie in, but I paid my betterment." M I I really think there's some legal questions here and I raised this in the board of public works meeting that we should be asking for a written legal opinion from town council on. What are those people entitled to? There's one particular project right now that's in

the zoning board of appeals that's going to go into a closed loop system and the people that paid for that project in that particular area may lose the capacity to tie in. So, I think there's some hard questions here, but I really wanted to make the point that you've got some significant costs. As you heard, your town administrator said and the superintendent said, "These increases

are covering the operational costs. The big day is coming where you're going to have to fund the debt service for the capital costs." And I think there should be some equity issues here as to a resident and a commercial entity that makes money off of residential units that gets my comments. Thank you.

Thank you.

And Mr. Silva into that point again going back to finding a way to to level out our rates like h have we incorporated the inevitable increase I the inevitable replacement of our wastewater treatment plant into the rates that we are charging today? Are we bu is there a is there anything in that rate that is allowing us to build retain earnings?

Your finance director uh excuse me your town administrator said the rate today covers the operational cost and that added cost of dealing with the bioolids.

you are not factoring in you. Your retained earnings are what is the area that you look to to take some of your retained earnings, but you're going to have to take on debt service for this kind of improvement. If you've got a $100 million worth of improvements, which potentially you could have for that wastewater plant, especially with the new standards of what has to be removed from wastewater, you could be

looking at north of $und00 million.

That's going to be predominantly by debt service and the rate will have to be set to pay the annual debt payments on that debt service.

Yeah. And understood like we're not using retained earnings to pay for wastewater treatment plant. But how do we factor in the inevitable replacement so that we can level out again the goal is to level out the rate so that we don't on the day that we need a wastewater treatment plant we don't have to go up 55 60%. To cover the debt service. So what will happen is when you complete the the comprehensive

wastewater management plan, they will have estimates for you of what it costs to build and improve the plant that you have there and they will run debt schedules for you and then you will be able to put together what the fee schedule is going to look like to handle the operational costs and the capital improvement. But you can't do it right now. We we don't know what it is.

M spook.

Yes, Mr. T.

I think the um Mike talking pure experience. Yes. A lot of u knowledge you given to us, but I think that the report we're going to hear a little while regarding the uh uh regarding housing and and population and long-term planning and infrastructure uh all points to one thing for us, which is long range planning and how we do it.

And the time has come as we keep going forward whether it be debt surface or whatever it is we're going to face that and uh uh I think that it's no no surprise now that u that we're facing and the time has come to uh to put these things u these projects into uh into a marching order so we can then plan how we're going to pay for it and what the plan's

going to be which I think what she's saying Mike.

Thank you.

All right.

Well, Mr. Alme, did you I have two more items.

Should have brought my picture.

Yeah. If we're if we're done, I'd like to uh have Tim go to the next item of retirement.

Oh, yes.

Uh before Tim goes there, I just want to make um make a short comment. the people who are hired into public service um particularly those who come in with a lot of without a lot of experience and stay 30 40 years they're the backbone of how these services get delivered. So, I just want to make that comment and all the guys out there that are have been a long time

and who plan on staying a long time.

Bless you. Thank you.

Mr. Barber, this is good news for somebody here tonight.

Yeah, I do have somebody that's happy, especially with the the news we just discussed.

Exactly. So, so Mark Fenuff is here tonight with us.

Uh, Mark has worked for the DPW and water pollution control division for over 32 years. Um, starting as an assistant treatment plant operator in 1994. Uh through the years, Mark showed his dedication and hard work, advancing to a treatment plant operator to the chief treatment plant operator. And in 2024, Mark was promoted to the assistant superintendent in the water pollution control division. Uh Mark has an

abundance of knowledge of the treatment facility and infrastructure, has been very instrumental in keeping the old plant running as well as it has. Um he works well with all of his staff. Um and uh Mark will definitely be missed um as he's been a staple at the at the facility and we want to wish Mark a all the joy, good health and fulfillment in in your retirement.

Just keep his number handy.

Congratulations.

And that being said, uh Mr. FA if the select board would like to recognize you with this citation wording verbatim of what Mr. Barber said. So I will not read it but be it known that the Dartmouth Select Board hereby extends its congratulations and of course best wishes.

Thank you for a long healthy retirement.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

to present with uh from the board of public works in in the DPW for your excellent service for 32 years and your dedication and hard work.

Well, he's all yours now. Get that honeydew list ready.

Oh, even better.

Tomorrow morning.

Oh, good for you. All right. Um the next item on our Madame Chair, if you don't mind, as I mentioned earlier, because of a slight discrepancy between the announcement, um I'd like to adjourn the board of public works meeting.

Okay.

I second the motion. All in favor?

I So our board meeting is adjourned.

However, we're we will stay if there are any questions. uh about the contract with Mr. Hickox.

All right. Thank you.

We are going to move some things. I'm looking for individuals because this person is not here.

No, we can do uh the HCO's contract and the board of public works update and then do the refuge district.

Okay. So, next on our agenda, we have um professional engineer consultants contract to work down at DPW and that's um Dave Hickox. So, Mr. um Hadad would you tell us more about that?

Yeah, absolutely. So, the board had previously approved a consulting contract uh with Mr. Hickox for professional engineering services. Um the contract expired June 30th. This just extends it for a full year.

Previously, I think we did it in December. It was just a six-month contract. Um, we did not use Mr.

Hickox's uh in the past fiscal year, at least we didn't have any billing for him. And so, um, there may be some projects projects over the next year where Tim needs to utilize him. The team utilizes him. Um, he does a lot of the kind of local work. He is a professional engineer and it's significantly cheaper and he's very familiar with our community. Uh, so it makes sense to continue forward with this.

All right. Board's pleasure. Motion to approve.

Second.

Thank you. Motion made and seconded. All in favor? I I. Nice to hear that we didn't need to use him. So, we didn't This is a only pay if we're used. So, folks, this is going to come around and we're going to sign this.

Pay as you need.

Pay as you need. Yes.

And then our next item, we have a constable appointment. Do you want to do the update on public works members?

Oh, sure. Before we go on to that, while we're still in the public works, just an update on the board of public works. Um, Mr. Hadad.

Uh, yes. Thank you. So, the, uh, we had opened up the applications for the two additional members for the board of public works. We received a number of applicants. I had individually sent those to each select board member uh, and asked for essentially a ranking. And so, I have that from each select board member. Uh Mr. Barber and I have had that conversation and the board of public works will be meeting with a

number of those applicants at their next meeting I believe or a meeting later this month and um and then we would hope to have a few of those applicants before the select board for review and your selection at the August 3rd meeting. So we're we're working through the process.

We had a number of applicants. We actually had more than we expected. I think we had 12 or 13 uh individuals apply which is great. And so um it took a little bit more time. we had to work through them and allow everyone to review, but we're right on the the right path and um they should be back before you after they've had a chance to go through the board of public works and

get their um their thoughts and feedback and have a full five member board after your August 3rd meeting.

Thank you. And that will help them and us moving along.

All right, Madam Chair, just a couple more things with DPW now since we're all all here together. Um, since since I've started following things in town, which is relatively recent, admittedly, um, there's been a handful of things that I've that just seem to always be on the list of things to do. The comprehensive wastewater treatment plan is one of them. The efficiency study is another

one. Um, the latest one is the u emergency uh disposal of in the event of a of a cat catastrophe. um where where are all those at like process-wise? Like how how how are we in getting those things? I mean, we're going back couple years that we've been talking about some of these things. I'm just wondering how close we are to conclusion on those.

So, for the comprehensive wastewater management plan, we we submitted we sent out an RFQ. So, it was a request for qualifications. So we based on those qualifications uh we reviewed and and we chose um a consultant and after that was that process we we entered into the scope and fee process. So they last week they submitted their scope and fee. Uh so we now we have our scope and fee.

We're reviewing that uh to move forward towards a notice to proceed.

And what about like the efficiency study? the efficiency study.

And I guess my my point is what I would like to see um is just sort of picking up the pace to finish these things that we've been discussed for for years and and in and at least the efficiency study and the comprehensive wastewater management plan um seem like they've been on the list for quite quite some time and I I would love to see them be done so we can see the results of the

efficiency study and the wastewater treatment plan. the the the initial phase of the efficiency study was was started um right after the rate study uh with a consultant. Um and then we we chose not to move forward with the second phase of that efficiency study and talk and we got proposals from uh other consultants for that efficiency study. It looks like uh the cost is around $60,000 uh dollars for for

efficiency study from from multiple uh consultants.

So during that time we were uh working with the town administrator to uh add a business manager position to the DPW. uh the business manager started a couple weeks ago and we're working bringing her up to speed and and we should be looking at coming up with the efficiency study in the near future.

The the debris management uh plan um we we we've been working with uh the the refuge district on on a debris management plan. Um, and we worked on it last last fall and and we held off there through the winter. Um, and we looking to move forward with the emergency management and uh back to moving with the with the district for for continuing that study. And we also have the the

state also has a a debris management uh plan that we can also adopt. Uh, and that's where we are now.

Thank you.

Okay. Um, next we're going to appoint a constable and we have Heather Roy if Heather is here.

Awesome.

All right. So, Heather, your information is in our packet and you're new to um becoming a local constable because you have since retired from the military on the 27th.

All right. Okay, good for you. Which branch?

I'm active duty National Guard.

Oh, awesome. Awesome. All right. So, this is your first foray into um constable services, right? Okay.

I see that you've gone through all your attachments.

Madam chair.

Yes.

Our paperwork seems to be in order. So I make a motion that we uh appoint Heather Roy as constable.

Second.

Okay. We have an appointment uh motion and a second. Um any discussion on the board?

Ready to vote? All in favor?

I.

All right.

Good luck from here to uh speaking to the uh chief. Yes.

Good to you. All right. Thank you all.

Thank you.

Our next uh constable appointment is actually a reappoint of Gordon Burgess.

I don't know if Mr. Burgess is here. As I said, this is a reappoint. He's worked for um us before.

Seeing that there's no issues, make a motion to reappoint.

Second.

We have a motion on the floor and a second. Any questions?

Hearing none. Um, all in favor of reappointing Gordon Burgess.

I thank you. The eyes have it.

All right. Next, we have a stop sign request at Mason and Center Street. And I know Officer Canario is here. Do we also have the folks who Mr. Barber is also here for?

Okay, Mr. Barber. Okay. I wasn't sure he was going to the microphone. All right. Mr. Barber.

So, we we received a a request for a stop sign at the intersection of Mason and Center Street. Um, this was after a a motor vehicle accident. Um, so we worked with uh Dom Traffic Safety uh to look at the intersection. We looked at the intersection felt that um it it it has some sight distance um issues um some overgrown you know as as a lot of these intersections years ago didn't

have stop signs and then you look at them now and and with the speeds uh a lot of drivers um you know aren't paying attention 100%.

Um and then we had, you know, we have trees that overgrow and bushes and and it reduces some of the sight distances.

Um and and you have accidents. So we we were requested to take a look at the intersection and like I said, Diamond Traffic Safety went out and looked at it as well and and we've both recommended uh that the stop signs be in place on Mason Street on both sides of Mason Street coming into the Center Street.

based upon the recommendation from the DPW and secondario. Make a motion to approve.

Thank you. Motion made and seconded.

Fix the intersection, but you can't fix stupid.

Nope. We got plenty of that. All right.

All in favor?

I. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Thank you for waiting for us. Um, next we have a I know. I heard it.

Temporary sign permit request from Spirit Halloween. Is there someone here to represent Spirit Halloween?

God, I hope not.

No, this is just an annual thing.

I thought you were standing up.

This is pretty straightforward. Uh, in the past, I noticed they didn't go to the board, but they really should go to the board. Um, there was one scrier's error in your packet that it was listed as a residential property. It it doesn't change the permitting process, and we've updated it in OpenG. That's just how they applied, but it's a this is straightforward.

Okay.

I also saw that there was a place where I have my notes.

They asked for it to be July to the end of October on page 66.

But then on page 67, it says July to mid January, which if they then become as they have in the past, spirit Christmas, that um is what happens. They change.

So, is it possible that we have spirit of Halloween/spirit of Christmas as one request or will they come back to change it over?

Uh, it could be. I mean, it's it's this is what they do. I mean, as soon as the week after Halloween, those pods come into the parking lot, they pack them, they go, and next week after that, the pods for Christmas show up.

I mean, this is I mean, you know, which it's a gypsy business and boy, I tell you, they do it perfect.

Um, so I don't have I mean, I eventually that's going to be a big why hopefully and so we spirit Christmas will have to go somewhere else. So I'll make a motion to approve.

Second.

Okay, we have a motion and a second. All in favor of the sign, not necessarily the business, the sign for Spirit Halloween, say I.

I.

I. Excellent. And find out if they come before us again for Christmas.

All right. Crapo Hill landfill presentation and update. And they are here.

Thank you so much for waiting for us.

They all move in.

I think I had a choice.

Good evening. Uh my name is John Borard and I am the chairman of the district.

Uh, I'm going to turn it over to Anthony in a second, but I just wanted to share that I actually think we do have some good news. Uh, I know it's been a lot of tough news tonight, but I think we we are a uh the refuge district is a success story. Um, you know, I know you most of you know the numbers, but I'll just share them because I do think it's

important. But two two very quick numbers. 1995 is when the district first opened. The shelf life of the district was it was uh estimated to be about 20 years which would have brought it to 2015. Here we are in 2026 and we still have an extended life of the district. Um Anthony will that's a little tease Anthony will give you the exact numbers but that's where we are right now. So that's one big number. The

other number is the district and I've said this many many times that the that the district is one of the single best decisions that the town of Dartmouth has ever made. Uh right now we are paying as citizens we are paying about $25 $26 a ton to get to get rid of our trash. Um in the city of Fall River they are now paying their contract was 120.

Okay. when we have people come to the gate, we're at about 113. So, we are talking a significant savings. Anthony, again, teaser alert, has the the amount of the savings that we have uh that we have provided to the to the town of Dartmouth over the since 1995, and it has been it's it's in the millions of dollars. So, uh I know it's getting late and we don't want to hold it up

anything. So, I'm going to turn it over to Anthony Develi, the district's executive director, who will walk you through some slides and then we're happy to answer any questions. Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening, Anthony Nolli. Uh, pleasure to be here with you all. Also like to introduce Raphael Wexler over here. He's the assistant, uh, director for the Greater and Bedford Refuge District. Has been a great addition to our team as well. Um, I'll be mindful of everybody's time here. I just have a couple of short slides. Happy to give an update and answer any questions on what's going on. Um, I did want to take

a quick moment of appreciation to just recognize chairperson Boragard. Uh, Michael Gier is a district committee member. Um, Ed Iapony is a a third Dartmouth representative. We have a lot of uh, experience instit institutional knowledge and it is extremely valuable on our board. Uh, Mike and I were both around when the landfill was built.

John's been on this committee for over a dozen years and I just wanted to appreciate their service for a second there.

Uh so the town of Dartmouth delivered uh as we've talked about the smart program by the way I think is a very efficient and good program. I second Mr.

McDonald's remarks there but there was 6,276 tons of municipal solid waste delivered to Crapo Hill landfill last year that was actually very similar to the previous year uh which was on par which is actually pretty good news. It didn't go up by much. Um, and we also manage 678 tons of other materials at no additional cost. These are things like street sweepings that come from the public works department and other

materials that we're able to beneficially reuse at the landfill. Uh, so based on just comparing to a market rate of about $110 a ton, uh, that'd be about a $530,000 savings for just last year alone. Uh, we are very aware that this is a valuable asset to the community. Uh we are working to extend the lifespan and be uh good stewards of that available landfill capacity the best we can uh to be good neighbors and

uh we are planning to uh extend that as long as possible. Um and in total you know based on just some estimates I've come up with it's it's over $13 million since the landfill has opened in just waste disposal savings. So this is not a glamorous thing but uh I give credit to all the guys working in the landfill similar to the public works department employees they do a very good job it's

can be a thankless job but it is an important public service and I just want to one thing that is actually what the crapo hill looks like okay that is not an AI generated you know something that is so people hear that the the dump you know yes we are we are actually doing that but and that's way off from the corner But that is actually what it is. And I think most of

you have been up there. It's actually very pretty up there. You can see for miles. So I just want to share that that you know that we are uh environmentally conscious as well. So I was going to pass a note to Nate. He's our newest member of the board that he missed our tour and he should ask for his own tour because it is very impressive.

It's beautiful in the fall.

I would not come in the dead of winter, but to Mr. Silva and anyone else in the town, we do welcome tours of the landfill. We're happy to talk about what's going on up there. Um, and yes, that uh front part was the capped area that was open in 1995. That has been fully capped and in the back we're operating there. Um, so I'm happy to answer questions, but I'll try and be

mindful of everyone's time here. Um, when we talk about our available capacity right now in the existing, currently constructed and permitted landfill, there's probably about 4 and 1/2 years of capacity. Um we are currently working to permit an additional landfill cell. Uh it is being reviewed by the Mass D right now. Uh we are expecting a decision in the coming weeks to a month where they issue a

draft permit decision. Uh there will be opportunity for public comment after that is issued and if all goes to plan, uh we're calling it landfill cell 7. It would be on the western side of the landfill. It will blend right into the hill and be contiguous with the rest of the facility. uh should provide at least seven years of additional landfill capacity and be able to keep extending

these benefits to the town. Um so again, if anyone has questions, comments about the new cell, about the landfill, what's going on, we are happy to have you for a tour of the landfill and talk about what's going on.

Uh I'd also like to highlight that we have an excellent resource in our waste reduction and recycling department. Some people in the town may be familiar with Marissa Presorm and Meg Heert, our two full-time staff. They are dedicated to recycling, waste reduction, composting, and reducing waste. Um, if you talk about two people that really live the mantra more than just doing it at work,

they are they are outstanding. Uh, excellent resources. Uh, I recently talked to Marissa who works tirelessly on a lot of different grant funding. We work closely with uh Tim and the Department of Public Works on the recycling and waste reduction programs.

And even just in uh the EP funding for the waste reduction programs, it's been about $650,000 from Mass D to the town of Dartmouth uh since 2012. So, always looking for grant opportunities, ways to both reduce waste and save money for our residents. Uh we do host household hazardous waste collection events that the district funds. Uh we like to make residents aware of that. Please do not put

hazardous waste in the trash and send it to the landfill. It is very important.

Uh these events are free to Dartmouth and New Bedford residents. And the next one is on August 29th.

And before you leave that slide, I just want to give a shout out to Tim Barber who talked to Dina St. Pierre about the grant program that you offer to towns that you work with, which funded our library of things. So the library of things has been a great partnership. Dena has been great to work with. Yes. And that's been a a great opportunity to reuse things uh for people to visit the library and and

check out items and rent them similar to a book instead of buying something and throwing things out of the landfill.

So we are always looking for creative opportunities to reduce waste. We're happy to talk with anyone that has any ideas and wants to talk about uh waste reduction and recycling.

Uh a big push is always on food waste and composting. We know that organic waste represents a significant portion of the waist stream and it's something that we do have an opportunity to manage better. Uh the food waste drop off program at the Dartmouth transfer station has been very successful. What's continuing to grow. We appreciate everybody that is participating in that and separating their food waste and not

sending it to the landfill. And we are sending that to a composting facility through a partnership with Black Earth Compost. Uh and there are various other uh programs and opportunities to reduce food waste. And we tried to educate on um all these different ways we sell back compost bins at homes. have been offering workshops for residents and so um we are happy to speak with anyone

that wants to talk about composting food waste. I am a Black Earth um customer and really I went into it after I toured the water treatment plant and and heard about what happens to the products that we might be putting down our garbage disposals and how that not only hurts the pipes but prevents our systems from moving along nicely as it needs to. Um, and so I am a Black Earth customer and

my stuff is picked up every 2 weeks and I am shocked by how much food waste because I'm dumping it into my barrel that my family um has and it's being kept out of the landfill and it's being kept out of um my pipes because I'm putting it into my little black earth bucket. Well, we appreciate you participating and anyone that's interested in reducing the amount of orange bags you go through, food waste

reduction is a great way to do so and we're happy to to talk and provide resources and try to help with that. So, I bring mine to the landfill and I learned early on that there's a technique you better be careful of because it can get messy if you're not careful. I learned the hard way, but now works out fine.

Uh, we do also have um it's it's not composting through food waste, but we do leaf and yard waste composting. We make compost available for free at the landfill if any residents are interested in picking up some compost. Uh we it is uh run through we do this at our facility. It's it's leaf and yard waste.

We do screen it. Um but it is available for free if anyone's interested in coming up to the landfill.

Um in addition to that I just will touch on you know so with cell 7 we're expecting at least another 12 years of capacity but we are actively looking past that. We know that is not a very long period of time in the grand scheme of things. Um, unfortunately there is not a lot of dis waste disposal capacity anywhere around here. I'm sure Tim's been looking at this with other things.

Um, that, you know, in most of Massachusetts, I think it's it's over 50% of the waste in the state is leaving the state at this point and going to disposal facilities in other states. So um again another reason that we have a good asset here that we should be mindful of preserving but we are starting to try and plan for the days when uh Crapo Hill does eventually reach capacity and we have to manage waste a

little bit differently. So Mr. um you've talked about in the past that that uh balance between taking in certain amount of commercial trash because you need the revenue versus not taking up space. How how's that work out? Has it changed much or is it still We have continued every year to to reduce the, you know, non-member waste.

Uh, you know, the the $25 a ton that we're charging to the town is is not the full cost of operating the landfill by any means. Um, we are looking at other ways to try and generate revenue. Uh, but um, I think I'm expecting fiscal 27 will be the lowest amount of total waste we've accepted, at least since I've been here, since I've been able to find. So, we are reducing that as much as we can.

Um we're trying to do more with less to you know as much as we can and the committee's been very committed to that trying to maintain a very low assessment while also preserving the capacity for the long term because um as it is $25 a ton right now by the time this is closed the the waste disposal rates are easily going to be over $150 probably closer to $200 a ton that you're going to end up

paying. So to to send it quite far away um and and so people are aware it's it's going uh waste is going all the way to Ohio, Alabama. it's traveling across the country before it's reaching a final destination. So, uh there's quite the systems in place to actually dispose of solid waste.

I have a question. Um oh, Mr. Silva.

So, cell 7, what's the likelihood of that getting permitted in in like is it like a 100% or 50% or is there a risk that it might not happen?

We've gone through technical comments with mass D. They haven't identified any significant issues. You know, we're we're doing everything according to, you know, the the regulations of how to build a new landfill cell. I wouldn't say 100%, but I'm I'm pretty confident that it will go through.

And is there any potential for a cell 8 or is cell 7 the end of the road?

Great question. There is additional space within uh the Crap Hill Landfills site assigned footprint without leaving the site assignment. Um as soon as we get Cell 7 up and running, we will be looking into if we can do that. Um there's additional uh capacity in our our site assigned area. There's additional capacity in what the init the landfills permanent footprint was when it was first constructed. It becomes

more of a constraint of site configuration um some wetlands on site and and how we can actually build that site. So there is a potential for something beyond cell 7 and we will be visiting that um once we get through the permitting process of cell 7. I think what goes through my head is just and you've heard heard me beating a dead horse at this point. Um but being able

to forecast at at some point in time the Capel Hill landfill will go away. We will not have that option. And how how long in advance do we as a town need to start planning for that inevitability, right? It it will happen one day. and what how far in advance, how many years in advance should we start increasing our rates a little bit so that we are building capacity so we can taper off

that effect because to go from $25 a ton to $250 a ton in 15 years is going to be a shock at that moment in time and I'd rather have that spread out over many years than all hit at the same time. You know what I mean? So I guess just keep us posted on you know you know right now it seems like seven is a possibility which would get us another 15 years. I

don't think we need to start planning today for something 15 years down the line but just something as a community we need to keep an eye on.

We we we have started you know we're already looking at this. We're looking ahead. Um I give credit to our committee. It is a a balance, you know, trying to keep that $25 a time but also not wanting that sticker shock at the end that you know that there's a balancing act there. But um these are things we are actively looking at already and and are we'll we'll be looking to extend that landfill capacity

as long as we can. So sounds good. Thank you.

Are there any other questions? Do you guys like talking about trash? I can be here all night.

As you said, this is good news. So I could been That was the last slide. Was there anything else? Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you all for your time. John, yeah, I just want to say one and under the category of even more good news. Um, we are we are looking at we're not ready to bring this to the to the board yet, but we're looking at some very significant projects, programs uh that could be a huge uh differential for the refuge district. Okay, the the good news, that's one piece of good news or

potential good news. I think the other thing somebody mentioned about working with New Bedford and we are actually meeting with New Bedford on a very regular basis. Uh Tim's in those meetings, the the team is in the meeting uh along with representatives from the city. The city makes up 85% of the refuge district. So we can't do anything without them. Um you know, we're the we're the annoying little uh step

brother over here, but uh but they they they are actively at the table. they're engaged in what uh in what we are looking to do. They're interested in it.

Um and if it works, um it will be a it could potentially be a a gamecher for years to come. So you mean John like um um improving their recycling style?

That's a small This is a that's a part of it, but this is a okay.

Yeah. whole other they they can't do a whole lot about how they collect resid they're in a very difficult position I will say from their side it's a it's a tough call for them um but we're looking at other methods and I think it's wholly unfair madam chair that he come here and give us it's a tease for the next meeting I know I know and now we're guessing what could it possibly be we'll see

within legal limits we have some other ideas so well thank you very much this was this was all good news and good. You know, we'll hear from you as you progress with the cell 7.

Excellent. Thank you so much. Thank you for waiting for us.

All right. And next on the hit parade, we have the housing production plan presentation.

Calling for time to wake up. It's your turn.

Welcome.

Hello.

All right. She's marathon.

She's ready to go.

I'm awake.

And she's got good news for us, too.

Oh, great news.

All right.

Laptop. That's going to fit awkwardly.

And I'm a tiny person, so we're going to make this work. Good evening, folks.

All righty. I do have good news, I think. Um, my name is Taylor Perez. I'm the director of housing and research at Serped, your regional planning agency.

I've had the pleasure of working with you folks now for about it's probably been two years total but I think the planning process was about a year and a half on the housing production plan which was completed early this year.

Good news. And was adopted by the planning board. Good news. And was pre-approved by the executive office of housing and livable communities. Great news. Um, so ultimately what I am here to do tonight for you folks, and again I, you know, just as the district just said prior, um, I don't want to take up too much time if it's not necessary, but happy to answer questions, is to essentially talk you folks through local

adoption, what that means. I'm happy to give an overview of the plan if you feel that is beneficial. Um, and just, you know, get this in its uh, lifespan, get its lifespan started. So ultimately what happened over the past year and a half is we formed a stakeholder committee of uh which Mr. O'Neal was a part of and very helpful. Thank you so much for your participation. So we had seven folks on

that committee that we met with I believe five or six times over the course of a year and a half. We conducted a public outreach survey which received 411 responses which is within that lovely 95% confidence interval that we want to see for surveys. So again great news. Um, we held two tableabling events at the Council on Aging in the Dartmouth Little League last summer. And ultimately, we produced four goals and

eight strategies for you folks to, you know, pursue at your own leisure over the next 5 years. And so those goals, I'll read them really quick. Support infrastructure upgrades and expansions to enable housing development, which seems, you know, topical considering the conversations tonight. Implement zoning changes that enable the creation of new affordable and missing middle housing

choices. create new and expand existing programs to support production, preservation, and overall housing stock stability. And goal D, which appears in every housing uh production plan that we write, continue to produce SHI eligible units to achieve the Commonwealth's required amount and support communities in need, which I believe you folks probably, if not have already achieved, will be achieving very soon.

And so, eight strategies complement that. Exploring opportunities to upgrade and expand key infrastructure across town. Clearly, again, very topical.

Establish a mixeduse overlay district to provide for additional housing opportunities. Evaluate the zone 3 aquifer requirements for potential reforms. Pursue funding opportunities and programming to bolster the community preservation committee and housing trust existing resources. Create a chapter 40 starter home zoning district. Review the town's existing zoning to establish an inclusionary housing component for age

restricted units.

Prepare to negotiate expiring use deed restrictions into perpetuity. And lastly, again, something that appears in every housing production plan and given that you folks are approaching 10%, really probably won't have to do, collaborate with proactive housing developers uh in the state to create SHI eligible units on town and stateowned land.

And so again, why I'm here tonight really is to answer any good questions you folks might have about the plan. But essentially, for a housing production plan, you know, to enable the five uh five-year lifespan and officially have it state approved, it must be locally adopted by both the planning and the select boards. And so again, like I said, the planning board and I worked closely to incorporate their edits. We

went through pre-approval with the OHLC to ensure that they did not have any edits for us. And now ultimately, we are here tonight to look for your adoption.

And I know Dan was here earlier, but I think he had to run to a seven meeting.

Um, but he was, you know, worked very closely with me in this process. Um, and I appreciate his contributions. So, um, yeah, I mean, ultimately just here to answer questions and again give give good news hopefully.

Well, I'm going to put Chris on the spot. Chris O'Neal was our representative.

You spot your You were great. You were great. It's um and I do remember myself filling out this survey and um at the time when we were filling out this survey, the 40B projects that have come sort of in the pipeline were sort of unknowns.

Um and so that's changed somewhat of of what we're looking at. Um, at the time I'm not even sure that 40y had been adopted.

I think it was in it was statutory, but there were no regulations at the time.

So, the regulations were finalized this year. So, now it's actually something you could do. Yeah, it's real. Um, as a plug, I guess we Serped for our regional community onetop for growth application submitted to work on producing starter home zoning, which would include 40 Y.

Um, so I've been in, you know, conversations with Dan that if we do get that when we, you know, when we find out in the fall, um, we would love to help you folks out with that. If at that time it's still something you're interested in doing, but it is a thing now.

It is a thing. It is a thing.

Um, Mr. Brooks.

Oh, sorry. Go ahead, Mr. Top.

You got somebody else?

No, I was waiting for Chris. That's okay. Go ahead, Mr. Tap.

You okay, Chris?

Yeah, I'm fine. I so what I think I I'm hearing from this report our population is dropping and will continue school population is dropping pretty dramatically and will continue although he did say there's a chance because of Route 6 the population may spike but probably not right okay and and we have in infrastructure issues that are gigantic which you heard all night long right and you were right on target with all

the stuff that's facing us so um so and And you're recommending, highly recommending, it seems, certain things we can do uh to uh to make uh make uh living here more affordable for um for certain groups, especially, right, young families and seniors. And you seem to indicate in the survey it said that most people want to do something like that right?

There's great support in town. Was that Well, let me rephrase that's a question.

Yeah, of course. Is there great support in town to do these kinds of recommendations which would be cluster houses or whatever? Um, and could you characterize that as to where people you think they stand on terms of what we should do?

Sure. So, um, I have a I wish I had this on the screen. I'm sorry I don't. Um, I I have a presentation that we gave to the stakeholder committee. It was our third uh presentation, I think, or at least it was the one where we had finalized the survey results. And so what we like to do on those surveys is not only do we try and gauge, you know, are you concerned about affordability,

what types of housing do you think are missing, which of course, you know, senior usually comes up, uh, small units like you mentioned come up a lot and did here and then we try and ask, okay, given these, you know, concerns, what would you be interested in in doing in town? So right here I have in front of me the responses from the survey once it was completed about small houses. So

again thinking starter homes uh you know capish bungalow cottage and so most of these have very high approval rates. The way we structure it is you go from either strongly approve approved neutral disapprove strongly disapprove and then not sure. And so for cottage, capish, and bungalow, which again are all, if you can imagine, just very small, you know, 1 to 1.5 story, you know, small

lot homes, we're seeing approval rates for strongly approved and approve over 60% easily, almost um 80 in the instance of cottages.

And we we can't do that now because of zoning restrictions, right?

Just there's no market for it.

It's more so zoning. And it usually is the case in many of our communities where you know the lot size that is the minimum whether and again I think you folks have a much more diverse zoning code than some of our other communities.

Um but typically you know if you're looking for example I think of my house which was a true starter home is a 5,000t lot. It's you know 1100 ft in size one story. Um so trying to think about homes of that nature and where you can enable them. And so, um, getting into some of the perceptions around senior housing and cottage cluster, I have that here in front of me. Again, we

kind of see, I think because of the idea of clustered housing and, you know, many units in one space, we see a shift downwards, but we're still looking at between 40 to 50% in that strongly approved to approve category. So, if we're talking about a town meeting vote where you're looking at a simple majority, you know, could have legs to stand on.

Um, and that's the same for senior housing as well, which I'm coming down to where again cottages in particularly are very uh strongly supported. I'm looking at about probably 70ish% strongly approved to approve.

But there is this strong sentiment that also says it's a small town. Leave it alone. Why do we need more people?

Of course. Right.

That's a danger that if it ever came to a vote like that in your view.

Yeah. I mean, again, I think this is not unique to Dartmouth. It's in any community. As someone who's done a lot of housing production plans now in my time at Serped, um I have seen a myriad of responses on these surveys which are all structured very similarly in nature.

Again, are you concerned about affordability? And then what would you support in town? Uh this one made me feel really good. So again, more good news. I think there was a lot of support for some of these interventions, you know, and again in a 411 responses, which might not sound like a lot when you say it out loud, but it was our most responded to housing production plan survey to date. So I would like to

believe that there is support and you always run the risk with any sort of major or even minor change and especially with zoning that you know there will be um you know a vocal group who is opposed to it that you know who's to say um but having something like a housing production plan and having done the work and again having folks who might be like oh I took that survey I remember having this engagement I

remember hearing about this sometimes can help again build momentum. Um but ultimately yeah there's there's always a risk associated with it based on these results there there could be some strong sentiments to support these kinds of uh I think so.

Okay. Yes.

Thank you for so so that being said though um as I said prior to these 340B projects to me it sounds like we're getting a lot of units coming online.

Right. Right.

So yeah, I mean again this is it's always ultimately up to the town about what they want to pursue first if at all in their plan. Um you know again I think the reason we put the very first strategy as that infrastructure upgrades is because it came up time and time and time and time again throughout the process and clearly again as we were discussing earlier tonight is still

coming up and will be a major issue. And so, um, you know, we've worked with communities who have either been right at 10% or are either going to be over 10% by the completion of the plan, which again, you folks might be in that category very soon, if not already. Um, what's nice about doing the proactive planning and having, you know, an approved housing production plan and having that kind of ability to pick and

choose what you want to do since you are over 10% and now you're, you know, in control of, you know, what you want to permit or not. um is that you can pick and choose what makes sense and if even zoning changes feel like we're not trying to you know we're getting too far in enabling new production that we might not be ready for we've queued up you know exploring infrastructure and what's

great about that is when um you know as Mr. Hadad referred to earlier when you go to apply for a mass works in the future you can say hey that was the highest priority strategy in our housing production plan um or you know you go to apply a housing works and you say the same thing. So again we try to keep it across a breadth of um strategies and mechanisms that don't just focus on

production but that also focus on again things that enable production or support the stability again of existing existing units already online.

Okay. So, for the viewing public at home, I want to make it clear that having a housing plan would not preclude the folks that came forth for to put up 40b housing.

I'm trying to So, I'm going to rephrase it so I make sure I understood it correctly. If you have a housing plan kind of in that sense that folks can still come to you and propose 40bs.

Yes.

Right. until we meet our threshold.

Right. And so really then then there be is more um than we have regained some level of power.

Right.

But I want people because there are certainly people in our in our town with great angst about why are we letting this happen of course and it is a bit out of our control.

Right. 100%. Um the only regulatory teeth that enable a similar outcome as to reaching 10% with a housing production plan is that if you were well under 10% but you had a state approved housing production plan and you were producing units at the rate of 0.5 to 1% of your required threshold. You could seek a safe harbor through certification. again um that's only up to two years and um you you won't need

to do that here clearly um because you are going to approach 10% but that's for communities who you know unlike Dartmouth who are much lower at their thresholds that's the real benefit I think that they see in having a plan like this um but you know of course we always advocate for because it is proactive in nature and it does do a lot more than just that um but that is the

big again kind of regulatory teeth I also thought It was interesting and I'll get to you. Um, the information that you have.

I got to find the page so people um where it talks about the median income for Dartmouth, right?

Which, um, I think might be interesting for some people that our median household is 98,662.

Mhm.

Um, average.

No, that's the town.

No, no, that is the state average.

It's very close.

Yeah.

So, I think there's a lot of people that say that's not me.

Right.

And um when we're looking at even the the 40B that has been proposed and they um people are concerned that they're going to be they're not fully subsidized apartments. They're not um what is it? Section 8 apartments that are subsidized through the government.

These are market rate apartments.

Mhm.

Which could be around $3,000 per unit, right?

Which is not cheap.

No. Yeah. I mean, um we talk about a housing production plan.

There are still people that say, "I want to live in Dartmouth."

Yeah.

I want to buy a house. I can't afford that rent.

Right. Right. And um and I certainly can't afford that rent if I eventually want to buy a house.

Right. Right. Um we hear this with every plan and I always wish I had a better answer since they are, you know, income limits are are federally set as well as rents. Um but it comes up nearly every time I I come to a community, you know, whether we're in the middle of the plan or finalizing the plan is these rents are affordable. And it's like, you know, legally speaking, yes. And to your point

again, that's only 25% of those units are affordable. Um, and so what we try to do and what I hope we've we've done here and that, you know, you folks can take and and move forward with in the next 5 years is find other ways to produce some of those deeper levels of affordability. Um, more often than not, that is either working with, you know, like a community development corporation, um, or it's working again

with your community preservation committee and trying to do things that can fund the acquisition and, um, you know, future subsidizing of again these units that are more deeply affordable.

But to circle back to your original point, again, I wish I had a better answer for it. It's I I completely agree with you. Um we and I'm looking at the the figure on page 43 which is talking about how many folks in Dartmouth are actually eligible for subsidized units and for renters that's you know 60 70%.

So um it's always one of those situations where the need is there. very clear um and how do you kind of approach that and that can be again through things like having your inclusionary zoning component which I know is big with the stakeholder committee um you know enabling better programming or uh more you know structured programming like buyowns or um uh homeowners assistance all of those types of things

that again are more programmatic in nature and can help make at least the access and the opportunity to get an affordable housing situation whether that's market rate or subsidized accessible.

Um, separate from the 40Bs. Yes. The houses that I've seen being built in Dartmouth by contractors, developers who were not by by uh building necessarily specific homes, but spec houses to sell are certainly not building what we would consider affordable or as starter homes in the size that you're discussing.

Right. These are closer to four or 5,000 foot homes, right? I um I have the the dimensional standards here and I know in the um the mixed use, you know, in Bliss Corner, we're seeing 5,000 then I I believe VB is Village Business. Correct me if I'm wrong, but um yeah, I mean everywhere else again 10 to 15 20,000 um one for 6,000, you know, minimum lot size again and that's not just enabling a minimum

lot size that that small is not enough.

I I live in a community where that is the standard minimum lot size and I'm still seeing homes that are, you know, 2,000 square ft or more, two and a half stories because the zoning allows it and builders will build to the maximum that they can because they're trying to maximize their profit to your point. So, uh, it's not lost on me that zoning is not the only way to do this, but it is

oftentimes, I think, one of the first things we try and think about as to is this enabling the outcome we want or is it enabling, you know, that kind of much larger large, big setback, large lawn, um, development that can often have a lot of mixed um, externalities, good and bad. Right.

I'm going to let someone else speak. Mr.

Silva, you had a question or Yeah, I think my in reading through the plan, my biggest concern was around strategy 7 um with there's it's forecasting that 328 units will fall off of our um affordable housing list over the course of the next 15 years with at least four dropping off this year and then the first significant chunk in about six years. To me, that's it's listed as a medium priority on our to me

that that that should be a pretty high priority because our infrastructure can already handle these 3628 units that are factored in and if we lose those off of our affordable housing components, you know, where does that put us on the 10%, right? We're going to be above 10% if all these 40bs go forward. Um, I want to lose.

We don't want to drop backwards, of course. uh cuz you know one one of these 40Bs is going to be about 300 units, right? So we're essentially losing over the course of the next 15 years, one of these 40bs. So I guess my that's what's most concerning to me in this whole thing is, you know, to me that should be higher up on our priority list of things to do.

Um and then I I guess and I don't know who could do this. Like I would be interested in a study of that's showing, you know, forecasting our affordable housing into the future, forecasting um when when item when houses will drop off of our list, right?

And then um you know, forecasting, you know, estimated future normal growth, so to speak, with our uh 40bs that are on currently permitted or potentially permitted, right? Like I would want to keep a close eye on if we're going to be above 10%, at what point in time do we drop below 10% again? It'll happen eventually, I'd imagine.

Right. I'm trying to pull up your um SHI inventory.

So, one of the things that makes it a little crazy is we can't count those units until we have occupancy permits.

So, we can count Well, you can um but only for a certain period of time. So, for instance, we're in the process of applying for Hawthorne. So, those count immediately. So once the comprehensive permit is approved, we can apply, we get credit, and then um you get so long for them to pull basically building permits.

So it's all it's there's a process and you get so long for kind of each part of the process. Um and then if it sits for too long, you don't get credit until there's occupancy permit. So for instance, on um Route Six, the preserve, we we were getting credit for them. They didn't move on it at all. So we lost all that credit. Now, we don't get credit until the occupancy permits come up. So,

um but we try to stay on top of it. Uh one of the things that's also changed in state regulations is now um we can there's a these are in perpetuity. That wasn't the case before, which is why you see them fall off, but you'll see them all going forward. They're all in perpetuity, right? So, we won't see that issue with most of the ones permitted in recent years, and you certainly won't

see it going forward because they're they're it's a forever that there's a basically a deed restriction. So, it's really just those pre kind of older ones that were permitted under different regulations.

So these 328 are the only ones that could potentially fall off if we do.

That's what I see right here.

I believe so.

Everything else as of January 2025 when we receive this SHI inventory is in perpetuity and to Mr. Hadad's point that is the standard now. Um the only reason going forward if you did want to do any sort of projecting is to account for you know full market rate housing change um where you're seeing an increase in you know when you're doing your SHI calculation you have your numer numerator of your affordable and then

your denominator of everything that's year- round market rate. If that is going up but this is not or it's stagnant that's often where communities might go from 11% to 9.8 um you know by the 2030 census. So that's what you'd want to be looking at going forward.

Okay. Now, who who would is that something that we would do or is there is this help like forecast do that exact analysis like forecasting potential future growth of residential units um into the future to find out when we might be at risk of dropping below 10% again. Mhm.

I I would be really interested to see that. Like is it 10 years from now or is it 25 years from now? Like or is it in five years? I I don't know.

There's a cycle when we do our master plan. There's a cycle. There's a cycle to to the housing production plan, right? And so you won't have to worry about your number your your you know denominator being recalculated until the 2030 census. It's so they'll refresh that every 10 years. And even then, you know, you do the 2030 census, but I think this last census there was what, 2 years or

so before numbers were officially updated. Uh you might see something like that similar again in the future. But of course, no guarantees. I would guess that probably around, you know, halfway through the lifespan of this plan, 2029, if there are census American community survey estimates, for example, for 2028 that are starting to project your your unit count, you could start to look at

that. Um, but I mean again it depends on how closely you're tracking market rate permits as well and how closely that's being reported and how accurate the survey is. So there are things you can do. Um, but what we try and encourage communities who either are within safe harbor because they have a certified housing production plan or because they're over 10% is to still look proactively at potential whether it's

40B or other housing production that is SHI eligible for that very reason of just you know maintaining things in you know into the future so that when 2030 rolls around you're not slipping back down and even then just based on my my intuition from working with few folks and from the data that I've seen in the plan and worked on for so long um I can't I I can't imagine right now me

this in this moment that when that comes around you would drop substantially unless again for some reason you guys were just permitting market rate housing left and right and sideways and at you know large large scales. But but isn't part of that plan aggressively looking at the zoning and and planning where these affordable projects could go to our advantage as opposed to waiting for

a contractor to say we want to put it over here right I mean that's that's the intent right is that you are thinking okay if we want to again be proactive in the future ensure that we're not only above 10% but well above 10% where where is the best place to do it and then okay great while we're tackling subsidized market rate does still matter. We know this because there is a large group of

folks who as much as we just said do qualify for subsidized affordable housing don't qualify. So, how do we create new options for them? So, it's like a um a two-pronged multi-pronged really uh approach for sure.

Question. Um are there examples around the state of these cluster housing uh zoning that have been really successful and working?

Certainly. I'm trying to think of some off the top of my head in our region. Um but I know there are um one that I'm thinking of that I think actually was you know a true adult retirement style community that is cluster housing attached cottage cluster is in Norton uh Redmill Village. It's right behind the um there is a 40B in the front that's right on 123 I believe and then behind

it is an adult retirement community.

These were affordable but small homes on Noir their market their market rate but they're small on the small piece of land cuz they reszoned it right. It's the density is much higher than you would see in you know any sort of conventional subdivision design or whatnot. That's the one that comes to my mind that we always use. But um you know you could look at open space residential

design and call that cottage cluster. I think, you know, it just depends, I think, on what you're defining it as and what types of precedents you're looking for. I believe the example we used in the plan was was pretty far out of our region, but it was a really nice one.

Um, here it is here. It was conquered.

Yeah. Riverwalk Pocket uh neighborhood in conquered. That was really nice. So, they're out there.

Tim Barbara, do we have a a group of um cluster homes being built off of Fisher Road?

You're fine.

Uh we have a clustered that subdivision that was reszoned uh as part of Lincoln Park subdivision.

The 40R.

Yes.

Okay. I'm talking about behind behind the 40R, not as part of the 40R. So the the it was zoned as a cl as a uh single resident C cluster zoning at for the single family residents.

So the in the Reed road area. I thought there was something off of Fischer Road.

Fisher Road.

Fisher Road just a five unit. A five five unit. I thought the newer one you just the private se Yeah. Yeah. That's just a regular subdivision.

Oh, okay. Um I guess the 40R has left a bad taste in my mouth because they they walked away from it and didn't finish it and the potential Yeah.

Um was there right so um and we have no teeth to make them finish it.

Right.

Right. so far.

I mean, I know it was and I'll let you say say your piece, but I know it was discussed at length um during the stakeholder committee meetings and I think it it does appear here in the the mixeduse section about or it might be again um forgive me for forgetting um if it's a standalone. I don't think it is. It's not um but there were market conditions involved with the on the commercial side too that that

presented a problem for the developers and right um you can amend you can amend the 40 hours um Mhm.

you know it's not unprecedented unprecedented to do that um if the infrastructure is there if it can handle it uh if it goes toward um then maybe it makes sense. So there there's some conversations being had about that. you know, there's going to be some infrastructure issues that we're gonna have to deal with, I'm sure, even after just finishing probably one or two over there. Um, but I I guess the

overall um point of having the plan is when opportunities like that come up that you have to have um people kind of on the same page, right, and and looking for opportunities when they arise, right? So, um you're not presented with, um, you know, the 40B that comes in and and strips you of your ability to, uh, uh, to make decisions for your own town.

Um, you know, it's funny talking to, um, housing secretary Augustus, former former.

Yeah.

So, it was going back a ways at UMass, at a a function at UMass. He says, uh, he said to me, "So, what do you need?" I said, "What do we need?" We need infrastructure. you gota you got to come down and help us with our plan. Oh, everybody needs that.

And then I saw Congressman Keading and he said, "What do you need?"

And I said, "We need infrastructure. We need millions and millions of dollars."

Oh, get in line on that.

Yeah.

Well, stop asking the question then.

I don't know.

I'm in line.

You know, it's um the good thing is, you know, uh I guess some people think it's a good thing that we're basically running out of space in Dartmouth. Mhm.

Um, you know, can you make some changes on zoning to to tuck in here and there?

Yeah, you could. But we really have to be cognizant of the infrastructure that we have um in the capacity that we have in all of our systems.

Um, you know, and you have to balance that with the rights of property owners, private property owners. They have, you know, lawful right to do what they can do with their particular lot of land.

Um, but we we have to be ahead of the curve. We can't be behind the curve as far as infrastructure goes because uh well we're running into it now, right?

Um but so I mean it's slow smart growth.

You know the the plan is supposed to basically temper things and allow us the the opportunity to um to make decisions for our own town um and be cognizant of the issues uh before they become big problems.

Right.

But um you know it's easier said than done, right? Not a silver bullet, but you know, it's not a silver bullet. None of this is silver bullet. You know, people say, "Well, they want to plan to, you know, put a house on every, you know, every street corner, but you know, you have to do these. You have to be cognizant of the issues that you have. You have to

look at them every once in a while to make sure that you're aware of the issues and and you're moving in the right direction. Um, slow and smart has always been the best way to go because you need a certain amount of growth in any town or municipality in order to to pay your bills, right?

Um, so uh but we, you know, we none of none of this gets really into road structure, you know, and the capacity on our roads, right? A whole different conversation.

It's a huge uh it's a huge problem for this town, you know.

So, um I don't know. I this is a mixed bag for me personally. It's, you know, it's something that has to be done. It brings in all different um aspects of uh of housing and different types of housing and where to put them. I mean, we tried to focus on the areas in town that could substantiate uh could um uh sustain uh because of the infrastructure that we have right now, right?

Um mixed use is uh you know, we've got it in here, but I I'm being told now that forget it. Mixed use is not going to work. you can't put the the town houses over retail because there isn't enough support on the small retail businesses.

So, I don't know if that's right or wrong, but I'm I'm hearing that from from professionals.

You know, mixed use is tough and I'm a I'm a big advocate for it from, you know, particularly the urban design and placemaking perspective. It makes, you know, so many communities are very excited about having a walkable downtown, a traditional New England style downtown, which is, you know, historically mixeduse small commercial shop fronts. But I do agree that the market again from my um, you know, I'm

not an economic development person by any means. That's my colleagues. Um, but you you can see it across the board, right, where there are vacant storefronts in existing wellestablished downtowns. So any sort of mixed use would have to be probably pretty strategic and and well thought before it was implemented. Um and again, do I think that it nullifies the the choice to do it at all? I don't

think so. But again, I I think it does need to be done with thought and I agree with that.

It's like, okay, we we have a reduction in students, so therefore we should not replace the schools. Well, they're going to fall apart if we don't do it. or we shouldn't fix the roads because we it just won't bring very many people in.

Well, we have to drive on the roads too, no matter what.

To me, it's about pleing and that um here's what we need. Here are the facts and uh convincing people, the majority say we do want to expand and put these cluster homes or change zoning or whatever it is because uh it's a smart way to grow. And Chris said it right, you know, slow smart growth with a plan uh affectingly replacing our infrastructure, but not only because we need to replace it, but we need it for

some growth as well.

And I think it's a case we can tell, right?

And we can we can we can sell, but it's it's all it's all factual. It's it's not based on, you know, rumor, right?

That's how I see it. But I don't know if it's naive or not, but it Right.

So, so tonight you need us to adopt the housing plan.

Yes.

So that we can move to the next um the next step in the process.

Yes. It would be the final step. Um ultimately after you folks adopt it, you just furnish a letter to EOHLC stating that it has been adopted by both boards at a vote of X to Y on you know the corresponding dates. And then there's a little bit of downtime between submitting that and then hearing back.

But ultimately that um you know approval process goes through and then the lifespan of your housing production plan begins for 5 years. And again, you folks are well situated since you're rapidly approaching 10%, but you know, it there's never any harm in having it. Um, and again, it will be a really nice reference on future grant applications, uh, in particular.

So, you know, again, you know, hopefully helps drive future community engagement and planning efforts going forward. So, yes. Well, I'm focusing on the number one goal, which is supporting infrastructure upgrades and expansion to enable housing development, you know, and that's with this.

That's for sure.

No matter what, whether we build anything else, we have to address these needs, right? I have a tangent before you vote and before um I you know take my leave which is that as I was listening tonight um particularly about the comprehensive wastewater management plan that you folks will be working on our environmental planning department in you know collaboration with us in comprehensive planning have regional

funding for 319 and 604b for watershed planning. Um we are trying to plug with communities in the Buzzards Bay wershed that if they are updating their comprehensive wastewater management plan and would like to ensure that it becomes a nine element waterhed based study which will open up funding opportunities through for implementation through 319 uh to please let us know and coordinate more. um my colleague

Michelle I was frantically messaging her and thankfully she's doing a bunch of invoicing tonight so we was like she's online it's great um but she was like this is a great a great plug and I would love to to connect with you folks and so Tim I'm happy to give you her contact and we can yeah we should talk about that but wanted to put that out there cuz I I thought that was a good um

connection is thank you of course more good news see that's right we'll take it ended on a high out, right? But that is all I have for you folks. Sorry.

Well, thank you.

Of course.

Um, what's the board's pleasure on this?

Motion to approve.

Motion made and seconded. All in favor?

I.

Thank you very much. We'll get that letter.

Of course.

Your list of things.

Have a good night.

Good luck with the next half, right?

Yeah. Thank you. All right. Next. Um the next item on your list um we're holding for August and so we're on K which is the human resources consultant contract.

That's with Susanna Cunningham and that's in your packet and we're going to be working with her to offer her or no more than 20 hours a week so she can get us through this spell where we don't have anyone. Um, and then it includes, as you see, commencing July 13th and ending on September 15th. That will give her a couple of weeks to work a transition with the um our new HR person.

And this is just one if the board approves for um me to sign.

Okay.

Motion to approve.

Motion made to approve that uh Cody enter into this contract. Second.

Second. All in favor?

I Next we have um bit of a sad one because we have a beautiful well-written letter.

Oh my beautiful by um Nate Watson who and I get it when I read all of the things that he's involved in stepping down from the conservation commission. So um very well written and certainly speaks to the work of everyone else eloquent in the department and on the commission and although it we have it and we can accept his resignation it doesn't seem that we can never not accept someone's

resignation can never force them to stay. So, a motion made to thank Nate Watson for his work with the town and to accept the resignation.

Second.

All right. All in favor?

I I. All right. Next, uh, review appointment process of the greater New Bever Regional Vocational Technical High School school committee representation.

And I have to tell you, having read this, first of all, um, seeing something like this, you know, the the type written, you know, probably copy paper. Um, this is old.

Yeah, this is the original regional agreement uh that dictates how the the membership is actually appointed. I'm not quite sure we've done it right in the past, but that's okay. We're going to move forward. Um so the the requirement for the regional agreement is that an appointing committee be made up of the select board chair, the moderator and a representative from the school committee. Sweet. Um so just

wanted to give the board an update because I think maybe the last time around the select board actually appointed. Um so I had thought that was the process. That's not the process. So that's the process is what I just described. So Miss Silver Brooks will serve on that. The school committee is meeting uh later this month I think next week to uh select their individual to serve on the committee and then we will

get the group together to make an appointment.

Okay.

Do you know if they have updated this procedure because I was looking for the they talk about a quota for admissions and the um determination of funding and I was thinking are they still operating by this?

Yes, they still do operate by that regional agreement. Yes, that is the most up-to-date regional agreement I got from uh Superintendent Watson.

Quot is Oh my.

Now it's more of a lottery.

Yeah, there's it's Yeah. So, yeah. So, there may be some things where state law dictates, you know, over the regional agreement.

I just thought it was interesting.

It is.

I was hoping they had an actual dollar figure that we could go back to 1971.

Um but don't formula $6 million formula.

Exactly.

Just out of curiosity, when was the last time um someone was appointed on that board? I believe it's Cindy M.

Cindy and Mike Shay. Yeah, that was a while ago.

If I'm not mistaken, that was a process that was used.

Okay.

Oh, okay.

Because on those names have been there for you as me, I would have told you what the process was.

Okay.

Been through it for over 30 years. So, all right. Next, we have a letter. Um, and this is something that we need to do um, as part of our housing, our Dartmouth house uh, housing author.

Hang on. Dartmouth housing authority town appointment.

This is the tenant representative.

This is the tenant rep. So, that needs to be um, part of it. And we had a tenant.

So, those of you following along, page 296, uh, Mary Elizabeth Ventura has appi what the Bible is shorter than I know, I know my my sympathies. So, Mary Elizabeth Ventura has applied to be the tenant um, representative to the board.

Make a motion to approve.

Second.

Moved and seconded.

Quick question. Was she Was she the only applicant?

Yes. It went it actually went unfilled last year because they didn't have anyone interested.

Got it. I was checking. Yeah.

Not too many not too many tenants want to be involved like that, but once you have one, grab it.

Got it.

All right. We have a motion in a second.

All in favor?

I I testimony.

All right. Next on our parade, we have um the Russell Mills Historic District Commission appointments.

This is a um you have Where you going?

Where are you going?

He thinks he's done.

Oh, go ahead.

Oh, you are. You are. Um this is in your packet. You have all of the applicants.

And to get us over a hump before we appoint the entire committee, we need to have a couple of um we have two members of the committee, Doug Balder.

Balder and Matthew Kate who are remaining on the committee. So we need to appoint a couple more so that they have a quota. Um, and so I reviewed these applicants and having read the information that we just have to have one member in the Russell Mills Historic District. Both Matt and Doug are in the Russell Mills Historic District. The names that I have on your sheet tonight are members who were are are folks that

showed interest who were not um on lived did not live within that district. The problem is since applying for it, we have one candidate who has moved out of Dartmouth is is going to be is going to be moving.

We do only need to appoint two and and if the board were to want to appoint others in the future, that's fine. You can view this as a temporary appointment while we wait out that 60-day period.

And then in addition, we have a legal issue that's come up that needs to be dealt with um in the next couple of weeks. Hence the need for us to get a quorum at tonight's meeting.

Which of the two are you looking to appoint tonight?

We're looking to appoint Margaret Wool and Jason Clark.

So moved.

Second.

All right. All in favor?

I I Okay. Nate Nate has a question.

So this my only concern is given the history and the drama of this particular commission and the level of interest that we've had. We had 15 applicants. I just want I I'm concerned about uh having an objective transparent standard by which we're appointing members to this committee. Um that's my only concern. Um if if there's something urgent that we must deal with, then that's a different thing in my mind. Like

there is something urgent and I will tell you how I I got to the candidates for transparency. I went through all of the applications and took down their addresses and looked to see whether they were residents of the district or not of the district because when we go forth to fill out the remaining members, all of these people who are still residents of Dartmouth are possible contenders to be on here. But I

wanted to get away from the problems that we did have which were um a butters.

So when I looked at that, that was one of the things that I looked at. I also looked at um how many other committees they had also applied to be on. So whether or not they had a true interest in this committee. So, some of them um applied to be on um ZBA.

Now, I don't remember what my codes are.

Youth Commission, CIP, Historic, Cultural, um Dacy Anyway, uh we're still remember what that one is, but a number of things. So, they just applied for a whole bunch. So I looked at if they had any thing leaning in that direction. What had they if they added information? They are interested in architecture. They're interested in history. They have some connection to that. And those were the names that I

So Margaret Wool lives at 20 Wild Pepper Lane. That is not in the district. She is adjacent but not in the district. Uh Jason Clark is on Shaker Road, which is in North Dartmouth, not anywhere near it. Um Marissa was on Allen's Neck Road, interested in historic homes. So that's how I pulled out their information.

Um long-term residents and residents that said they were newcomers. So I um I didn't look to anyone that may have a financial stake. So any realtor um we had a number of those. Um to me that would be the second tier because again I'm trying to avoid any conflicts of interest which this board did not um exercise previously.

Uh it goes to I think a bigger point. We're having a good problem in the uh lately which is we're getting overwhelming demand um for people interested. This this has really never happened right 12 13 people for board of public works 15 people for Russell Mills historic um I think we have five or six for the greater New Bedford you know school committee so um historically the board

has really never had to do any sort of full screening process to kind of narrow these people down. It it would never be efficient, as much as I love spending, you know, until 10 o'clock with you guys on Monday nights, it would never be efficient to have 15 people in to interview all of them before a committee. So, I do think it's time that the board start talking about what what

does that process want to look like going forward to to get those people down like we did with the board of public works. We said, "Okay, you know, send your kind of top four, five, whatever it may be, and if get consensus and bring them all in." On the other hand, this a little unique because we we ended up with a committee who had no members and we're mostly we're placing

one or two at a time. So, it is it is unique and I I Nate makes a point about you know all the people we didn't choose um you know when they came forward um and and and Heidi put a lot of effort into it. Maybe it's good enough or not.

But we How many more members do we actually need to appoint?

You'll need to appoint five more. Three.

You still have to appoint.

Oh yeah. to appoint three others that are going to be part of the coalition.

We just want to get to a coalition and then two Yeah. And then two alternates.

But we have a legal we've been sued by the Buzzards Bay Coalition. Um well, the Russell Mills Historic District Commission has in order for council to take action. They need to vote on what that action is. Council has recommendations, but um we need we need a commission to to respond and we have 30 days to respond. soon.

And again, like I I don't want to discredit anyone's work in in in putting these names forward, but like to that point of us having great interest in committees, like I don't want to I think it's going to be very important for us to have objective and transparent selection criteria um so that people can trust the appointment process, right? And and I'm I'm not saying that anything is is being done

wrong right now. I'm just saying as we look forward, if we continue to have this good problem, um, we should just have a way to to do that screening because I don't I I don't disagree like to have 15 people here to get interviewed. It would be a later meeting than we have right now, right?

Um, but anyway, I'm I'm fine with we do have openings on other boards. So the folks that um applied to other boards have a possibility of still serving and we still have openings on this board. So it's not done.

And that that's that's what gives me the greater comfort level is that we're not we're doing something temporary on an essentially emergency basis to be able to deal with a legal issue. And there's still more openings to fill. So it's not like we're we're done tonight. There's still more work to do to fill this board. And I'm sure we'll have a screening process and then we'll bring do interviews etc. uh at at another

meeting.

I I do want to make sure that we don't uh get ourselves in the bind that we were in before.

Absolutely.

So we did have we do have a number of folks that applied that live in the district. So do we have a motion on the floor?

Yes.

You want a motion to have a second? Yep.

Sorry, I derailed it.

That's okay. All right. So, the motion, the second to appoint Margaret Wool and Jason Clark.

Um, that will give us four.

That gives us a quorum. Correct.

That gives us a quorum.

All in favor?

I. Anyone opposed?

Okay. So, we'll appoint those two and then we'll be revisiting that in the near future.

All right.

Way to go, Jason. Are you Jason around?

Are you Jason? Oh, thank you.

Around has a a background in architecture.

Can we hear from Jason? He's been with anybody who can last.

Jason, welcome. Oh my goodness.

Jason Clark. Um, I've lived in Dartmouth uh for 26 years now. Um, I am obviously interested in architecture and I think this town has some interesting pieces of architecture that are worthy of preservation and I'd like to come forward and help do that.

Thank you.

Beautiful.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thanks for waiting all night for us.

Yes. And now you've seen the whole full operation. You sure you want to get into involved with us?

Thank you.

All right, back to our agenda. The next piece we have is the appointment of so many pieces. Sorry. The appointment of water quality represent.

And as you may recall, um, one of Mr.

uh Mickelson's last acts while on the board was to accept all 12 of the applicants who were interested in serving on Oh, sorry, that was you. That's right. It wasn't him because he is actually one of the folks we appointed.

So, Mr. McDonald appointed all 12 to the water quality board. And um I think it's 17 actually.

Oh, 17. All right. So uh what we have before us is the meeting at the auditorium.

Yes. To appoint the um representatives from various boards. So these boards gave their person.

Madam chair.

Yes. Yes. Make a motion that we appoint Robert Almy from the board of public works, Susan Murray from the board of health, Elizabeth Depalo from conservation, which is spelled wrong by the way, and uh Eli Pow from waterways to the uh to represent their respective boards on the water water quality um committee.

Second.

Second.

Excellent. All in favor?

I Eli just left moments ago. All right, moving on. Q.

I'm I'm going to go down this list and I have gone through and looked up everyone's attendance in the packet. So, um, board of registered voters, Kathy Morali, uh, Moralia would be representing the independent voters on that group. We didn't have one and now we will.

The new appointment.

New appointment.

Motion to approve.

Motion made and seconded. All in favor?

I. I on the capital planning committee, Christopher Fryus and Luke Leman both have 100% um attendance.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. All in favor?

Council on Aging. Um Allison Nestansky has a 67% um attendance rate to the board, but she has served the board for several years and the board has been very happy with Close enough. Motion to approve. Motion made and seconded. All in favor? I I just one thing that Kathy is not new to the board of registars. That would be it's a reappointment.

It's a reappoint. Reappoint.

Thank you.

She's been on there.

I only saw the other two.

We only know two.

Yeah.

So, it's nice to know who the independent is.

All right. Cultural council. I did not get their attendance. Christine uh Yubert and Margaret Hollister.

Hey, they're interested in doing it.

Nothing wrong with that. Motion to approve.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. All in favor?

I.

Historic commission, Philip Baker, 83%.

Hell of a job. Motion to approve.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. All in favor?

I.

Um, Municipal Broadband Advisory Committee, John Collins. I didn't get any attendance.

Be jarn. Okay.

Good.

Motion to approve.

Motion made and seconded. All in favor?

Pathways committee Sandra Medeiros 100% um attendance.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. All in favor?

I.

There be more than 100%.

No.

Okay.

Um next we have the s sister city delegation committee. These two are are interested in attending. There hasn't been a meeting in in it's quite we haven't done anything with sister cities but these two these two are very outstanding members of that committee you've been involved in it I've been involved with them for a number of years since Ed hooked me into it many years ago um yeah motion to approve

Belmyra Barios and Diane Kiltica second all right motion made and seconded all in favor I waterways committee Donna Dana Dorish 92% most definitely currently ly the chair motion motion to approve. Second.

Excellent. All in favor?

I I thank you. Next we have line item transfer. So I'm going to call Gary wake up and come to the um podium.

I disagree.

Next time let's get Uber Eats in here, will you?

Yes. And um should know how to clear a room, huh?

the first the first the question that I have which is could you tell us what is the band's account?

So the band's account uh historically we've had budgeted for a number of years and it's u more of a placeholder in case we have to do short-term borrowing. Uh that's always been in the budget obviously we haven't done any short-term borrowing in quite some time. Uh but if we're going to start looking at school roofs and all that I'm assuming that in the FY28 budget if we're looking to do

some short-term borrowings before we b before we bond. So those are the bands.

We would have to be tapping into that account for on a temporary basis, but we have the luxury now of not having to use that.

So we're able to transfer from that general fund account to subsidize these other accounts. And there's I mean uh there's typically three or four that we do every single year. The uh you know the payroll taxes obviously we have to pay that. That's that's by federal law.

Um and then these others I can go through 941 from anticipated note. So short and anticipation to borrow.

Thank you.

Y Okay.

All right.

Line item transfers. We have a transfer from the to the council of on aging expenses for $3,300.

So this was for uh some outreach um coordination that they needed additional hours for uh throughout the cost of the year. Um motion to approve.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. All in favor?

I um finance director expense $8,000.

So this was a case where um we were going to do uh so I I'll give you some history. When we send out tax bills, go through the tax bill, we go through the demand process, then we go through advertisement, then we go through to to foreclosure, which is where we are right now. Uh there's about 300 parcels totaling about 8 $800,000 in delinquency. Um I wanted to do it in

FY27, but we were able to do it in FY26.

uh because we had the resources to do that. We contract with uh Capola and Capola which is the number one tax title attorney in the Commonwealth. They work closely with us. If you remember that prior to my um taking over as finance director, they went with a company called Talage. They were pretty much loan shocks uh knocking on people's doors all times of the day, placing leans on the property. We brought that

process in house and that means we have control over what we can um how we can uh converse with the resident. Uh it works. Uh we spent I mean it's not it's not that it's a cheap proposal. We've budgeted for some of it, but uh we spent $25,000 on sending out a first round of letters. Uh we've already collected and and this is only one week. So we've collected in that one week that the

letters have hit the street. They'll be due by the end of um end of the month 103,000.

So I'm assuming that we're going to collect probably 3/4 of that and then we'll have to determine what we do with the rest of it. Obviously, the goal is to work with the residents. We've had people come in for payment plans, so on and so forth. We're not in the business of owning property. We want them on the tax roles and we want them we want them paying their tax. Uh so, it's been done

and now we're doing it in house. Uh which is what we did prior to about four or five years ago.

And you're right. We don't want to own property and we want our residents and the tax rules have changed tremendously. Uh we no longer collect the equity on the house. We have to give that back to the homeowner.

Excellent.

Motion to approve the transfer for the finance director expenses for $8,000.

Motion made and seconded. All in favor?

I uh the next one may Medicare um payroll tax 93,000.

The um amount for uh that was due predominantly to um additional amount of buyouts that we had. Uh as payroll tax increases at the 1.545% rate, we uh we also have to increase that. This is a balancing act. Every single year I try to budget as close as we can. Um but you know instead of over budgeting in this account we usually ask for the line item transfer. This is something that we ask for every single

year. We have to pay it. It's federally mandated. Um but it was due to uh some buyouts and um you know as I mentioned um just the payroll increasing.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. All in favor?

I I And the last one, youth commission uh expenses. Predominantly, it was because of a split year uh um uh payroll, which uh we we needed to fund the uh that position. So, at the end of the end of the uh end of the budget, it was it was short by five uh $500.

Motion to approve.

That's been that's been corrected for 20 27.

Okay.

Motion made and seconded. All in favor?

I I excellent.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

And and this is it. This ends the line item 14 is the last last day on the uh the rules that we have to transfer.

And we signed all of our end of year expenses earlier today. So we're fully into FY27.

Okay.

Happy New Year.

Thank you. Um, next on our list, we have a new human resources director contract, Carolyn Day. Uh, Caroline Melo.

She got married.

Oh, she got married.

Um, all right. So, I was like saw the name, I was like, wait a second. Um, so we have the contract. We have discussed that um number of weeks. the candidate is um yeah the contract is consistent with all uh our other um independent employment contracts. The compensation is consistent with the compensation classification study um that was u provided. The interview process uh we had a thorough interview process. We had

a number of qualified applicants. Uh we had two members of the board serve on the interview team as well as myself. uh the police chief, uh Mr. Carrero, uh Tim Barber, uh I'm sorry, Tim Barber did not serve on that group. Uh Melanie Perry from my office also served on that group. And um and we found Miss uh Melo to be the uh best candidate for the town of Dartmouth.

Excellent. And we look forward to her joining us on August 31st.

31st.

Yes. and hence the um need to have the transitional contract earlier.

All right.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. All in favor?

I. Excellent. We'll just sign off on this.

Another member of the team in the books.

Almost there.

We are.

Feel it.

This is like the cysteine chapel.

All right. Town administrator update.

Uh yes, I have quite a few items to go over. So hopefully no one has any plans.

Uh I just wanted to give an shout out.

Uh DCTV Pete is here. Uh but so he's manning the camera so he can't come out.

But DCTV was nationally recognized a couple weeks ago when uh they won an a national award. They had previously been recognized uh regionally, but this year uh they won a national award for uh their overall performance in um for community media groups within their budget size. So, congratulations to Pete and his whole team. Uh was exciting to see our uh the dog park getting some good use. Our own communications

manager, Jessica Dastu, hosted a Dachshun meetup uh at the dog park. And so, if you look in the Dartmouth week, they have a nice article. So kudos to to Jess and the team there. Uh just a reminder, you know, we had some serious heat a couple weeks ago and unfortunately the Peyton Arum Bridge was um was closed down. We are anticipating extreme heat on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. So um while we hope to keep

the bridge open, uh there is a good chance that the bridge will be shut down. We try to coordinate with public safety. Uh just so people understand, maritime law requires us to actually keep the bridge open. So, um, we got a a complaint. Well, it's it's not the weather's not even that nice. People aren't even, you know, boating that much today. And we completely understand.

However, there's Coast Guard regulations that literally require us to keep the bridge open if it's not operational.

We've also cut so much off the bridge.

So, what happens is is it gets really warm, the steel expands. We aren't and that's why you see sometimes DPWs out there actually spraying it with water to cool it down. So, the so it it the expansion stops, right? So, it contracts. um we've cut off so much of the bridge the steel bridge from it expanding that we cannot cut off any more of the bridge. So when it expands

we cannot we cannot close it. So that's why you see sometimes we preemptively have to leave it open and prevent it from opening and closing because we would not be able to close it. It would get stuck. So now we're actually on the concrete deck so you can't cut off the concrete deck. Um so just want to give everyone the heads up. We understand the frustration but um it's one of those

things. some other nature we have to deal with until we um come up with some solutions. The state is still approaching their 25% design and so we continue to try to push them and work with the state to to move forward with that design process. on that. I do want to compen commend fire district one luckily had put um a vehicle on the other side of the bridge last week and it did needed to respond

to a a fire, a house fire and responded to another health matter with um stat ambulance. So, I commend them and they they are working Tim Lancaster and Tim Barber are working together to make the best of a bad situation.

And also, if the gates are up, we ask the public to not walk past the gates.

We had a few intoxicated individuals uh over the past couple weeks when it was closed down that at night that walk past the the gates.

You're going to get in trouble. The police come out. So, just just be smart.

Make good decisions. Ask the public to do that. Uh, also excited to share that our library started the new um, seed packets this year where you could go into the library and get seeds for your garden and they handed out over 2500 packets um, so far this year to the community. So, really exciting. Uh, Dartmouth was the host of the regional emergency management meeting for the month of June. So, it was good to have

all the emergency management agencies in town. Uh last Thursday, conservation uh board of health and Jessica and Harbor were did their first round of water quality testing. It was a beautiful morning and uh all that went off very well. Also want to commend our collector's office. Uh Shannon who's our town collector. They're in the process of actually cleaning up 26 years of uncollectible personal property. So

going back to uh 1995, uh they're cleaning up all of the personal property or I'm sorry, 1999. Uh the community park playground will reopen on Wednesday. So they're doing the finishing touches on that. Our first water quality advisory committee meeting will be in this room tomorrow uh the 14th at 6 p.m. Uh the New Bedford Junior Regata was held this past weekend and past weekend uh was successful brought a

number of people into town. And then uh finally our affordable housing buyown program has been open. That's the program that offers grants up to $195,000 for first-time home buyers. Uh we did a lottery. We only had one eligible applicant. So, we are going to be reopening it on a rolling basis. So, there won't even be a lottery. If you apply and you are eligible, all the information can be found on our website.

Um you would it's a first come first serve basis. So, uh the income limits are all there. Um and if you, like I said, if you qualify, we'll give you up to $195,000 to buy a home in Dartmouth.

So, it's a it's a great program.

Where can someone find that information on how to do that? Is it all on the website?

On the website.

Yep. It's all on the website.

Which sub website?

Uh, it's under news and announcements.

News and announcements.

Yeah, we post it all on news and announcements. We've done a few press releases on it. Try to get the word out there. It does require a lot. It's a lot of work. It's just it's a um kind of the state lays out the process, but I mean for under $95,000, it's I think worth it.

Like work.

It's a nice part-time job.

Yeah.

All right.

We don't have anything for proposed town projects tonight. We'll revisit that at our first meeting in August.

Okay.

Uh old business under 40B update. Uh the appeal period for the Hawthorne Country Club parcel is over. We did not receive any appeals. So that um that comprehensive permit is uh taken effect.

And we are like I said applying through the Department of Housing Livable Communities. So those uh part those uh units count towards our subsidized housing inventory. The public hearing for the Sherbrook Farms on Old Westport Road project was closed. So the zoning board of appeals will be issuing a decision on that um in the coming weeks in the halfway road project has been continued.

Um one question on the Tucker Road project. There were no Appeals appeals from abutters uh from anyone from anyone from any.

Yep. So you can there's an appeal period um where some anyone has the right to appeal the permit and that did not occur.

Okay. And the next step in that process now because that's over uh they still need to go to conservation. They have all their conservation per and then they still need to meet all the conditions of the of the permit before they can get building permits.

Okay.

Lis Connor.

Uh, no new updates like Noach, no new updates.

Broadband, no new updates.

And I like seeing this new one, which is annual operating budget.

Yes, we do not have any updates, but we want to keep it on there. Uh, we talked a lot about money tonight.

Yes we I can't take anymore.

Thank you for putting that on.

Um, and then next we have our minutes.

I reviewed the minutes. One comment. The June 8th meeting started at 400 PM, not 6 PM.

Sorry about that.

So, if we No problem. So, if we could um amend that.

Make a motion to amend the time for that meeting to 4 p.m.

Second.

Second. Thank you. Um, all in favor of amending July June 8th, 2026 and accepting June 8th, 2026, say I.

I.

I.

I saw no. Did anyone catch any missteps in anything else? So, uh, a motion to to accept all three meetings to approve the minutes of all three meetings.

Second.

Okay, we have a a motion and a second.

All in favor for all three meetings.

I excellent. All right. Select board updates.

Mr. um McDonald.

Oh, no.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Okay. Mr. O'Neal.

Oh, look at me.

Mr. Tatav.

Uh, this is an incredible agenda. Thanks to you, Mrs. Brooks, and our town administrator put together. We covered a lot of ground.

Is that great job? Is that who we're blaming tonight?

Yeah, I I'm I'm taking full responsibility. I went through the list, but I had said next time I want to know how many pages it's going to be because this was this like I said, the Bible's shorter.

366 left for next meeting. Are we covering?

Uh yes, I have quite a We have a list for next meeting. Yes.

Great job. Thank you, Nate. Anything?

Quick thing. Um I don't know. Have we gotten any complaints or issues uh with uh getting down to Round Hill with the new the new system they got there? So, and the reason I asked, so I I went there yesterday, I was at a queue of about 30 cars um on Smith Neck and it it just seems like a dangerous situation. And so what's happening is you you have a queue

on Smith Neck and then people who are just trying to get through, they drive on the wrong side of the road. And in the 15 to 20 minutes I was waiting in that line twice I saw a near collision with people driving on the wrong side of the road with people who were turning onto Ray Pack. Um so I don't know. It just feels wrong like the setup there. I

don't know what can be done if there's I I don't know. maybe is reaching out to Fox and Rack Sunday.

The suggestion would be to contact the traffic safety officer and have him take a look at it when the queue is that long and for him to meet with the park board to discuss what needs to be done. As as I said before, the process right now is the same.

You can't fix stupid.

The process is the same.

We haven't changed um anything yet.

We're looking at doing uh plate readers next year, but that's not what we're doing now, I think. So the the thing that's changed, they have the counter now. So they only let as many cars in as there are spaces in as a result of the complaints received before about people not parking where they should park uh and people not being able to find parking when they got down because there

was no limitation before. So the the counting is is new and that and so this type of queuing has never happened at least as long as I've been around. Um but anyway just and I know that's it's sort of parks and rex deal but it ends up on the road and it just feels like a something that we should look into and preemptively you know reaching out to parks and wreck and

the police department and seeing if there's something that can be done to make it a little safer. And I'm sure it's only a matter of time before the people who are just trying to drive to their house on the other side of Round Hill start getting upset.

But anyway, other than that, I got nothing.

Okay. The only thing I have coming up um again make for those of you looking for something to do um staying cool for the next few days, but Tuesday nights the Dartmouth Community Band is back um for their concerts which are free and at Ponagansit.

Wednesday nights um is the traditional summer concert series. There is a fee to get in that. Those are every Wednesday nights. And coming up the following weekend, the weekend of the 25th, July 25th, it's the Paid Narum annual sidewalk sale.

Um, and coming up at the Ziterian for the next two weekends is Margaritavville. If you're interested in that, my new loading zone by you, usher you.

Yes, I'll see you then. Um, sure. Uh, our next meeting with a shorter than three-hour agenda is scheduled for April 3rd and before April August 3rd. Yeah, I'm pushing them way off now. Um, hi mom. You got the date.

I know I'm a mess. So before we close tonight, um, we do have a recognition and this is for, uh, Dr. Agai um in recognition of his 22 years of committed service to the zoning board of appeals.

Since joining the board in 2014, Dr.

Akai has generously computed contributed his time, expertise, and thoughtful leadership in service to the Dartmouth community. We have a citation for him.

and um he is is um has served on the zoning board of appeals and my thought is to make him an honorary member. He's still interested in the committee um work, but this would be a nonvoting um member of the committee. So, I don't know how anyone else is feeling about Dr. Agai becoming an honorary member that would be wonderful raised done a great job.

He has ameritus. Yes, we'll give him status.

So, um I will see if he's going to the next CBA if they know if he's coming and I'll show up with that.

Absolutely.

Otherwise, I'll hang on to it. Zoning ameritus. So, um that's not an easy board.

All right. So, um, motion to adjurnn.

Motion made to make him an honorary member and motion to adjurnn. Seconded.

Second. All in favor? I