Select Board Recap July 13 2026

Hello, Dartmouth. Cody had town administrator here to give you an update on the July 13th select board meeting.

We had quite a busy meeting, so I'm going to try to keep this brief uh for those of you that tune in and hopefully give you an idea of what happened at our meeting. Uh we started out the night with a hearing for an aquaculture license. Uh Jack Condan came in before the board presented his plan and uh he's planning to eventually grow up to a half acre uh along the Slowcoms River. The

process included departmental feedback from all the departments in town and uh Select Board had a lot of great questions as far as uh what happens to the equipment, what we do in the winter and Mr. Condan was uh was able to answer all those questions and the select board felt uh it was a great project to move forward with and um essentially approved the permit conditionally as the state

has to uh issue their final decision.

But the select board gave their blessing and so that'll move forward now to the state and Mr. Condan will hear back and hopefully uh get his approval to move forward with his agriculture. Then we moved on to the first item under new business item A. This was the transfer of a wine and malt beverage package store license uh from farming coast to Dval's. So uh pretty standard straightforward transfer of this license

to Dval. So now once the ABCC signs off the select board did approve it. There will be uh you'll be able to purchase wine and beer essentially in Dval's uh in the store side. So if you wanted to package wine and beer they'll have a small section. Not yet, but once the ABC C signs off, then we went back to another hearing at 6:30, which was for a new all alcohol license uh package store

State legislature approved that. So now it was time for the select board to give their approval and the select board did that. There were some concerns about uh the drop offs and the deliveries for uh Farm and Coast and so uh there was a great discussion that the board had with uh the team from Farm and Coast and we are going to work towards coming up with a delivery zone in the area. our DPW

team and the safety officer will be reviewing that and we hope to present some solutions in the next couple of months. So, we certainly hear the concerns of our community and uh hopefully we have some action that we can uh take going forward. We then had a joint meeting with the Dartmouth Board of Public Works. There were a number of items uh that we discussed during the joint meeting. Specifically, we were

there to discuss uh the water, sewer, and solid waste rates. So you you may be familiar with over the last year we have really done a deep dive into the operations of our water division, our sewer division and uh solid waste which is trash and recycling. And uh we we've needed to increase rates significantly uh particularly in the water department.

We did move forward with a 13% midyear rate increase in January for water. That was needed in order to keep essentially our water department afloat. Myself and our uh chief financial officer, Mr.

Carrero have been working diligently with the DPW team to identify what that rate increase needs to be going forward.

We really want to avoid those large spikes. We don't we don't want to pass on a 20% rate increase and then be able to drop down to 2 or 3% and then have to go up again, you know, 20%. We want to provide stabil stability to the community. And so, um, we recommended a 7.5% rate increase for the water department. Uh, that is just to keep up with the rising cost. We want to try to

build some reserves that there covers covers our significant capital costs. Um the smaller projects that we wouldn't borrow for under the sewer department.

Um unfortunately there's and if you've been watching any meetings you'll you hear of bioolids and so essentially it's the solids that come out of the water wastewater treatment plant. Uh and right now we dehydrate those. We mix them with wood chips and and we're able to actually sell that uh as a fertilizer for land application. Uh there are some guidelines that we anticipate coming down from the state uh and in the

federal government in regards to POS, the forever chemical. Many of you, I'm sure, are familiar with that. And so our our contract is up uh this later this fall. And we actually are anticipating that instead of becoming having a revenue source for these bioolids, it's going to cost us significantly to um to get rid of them. And so we had to plan for that. That's approximately a $1.2

million uh increased costs due to the bioolids. And so we're going from a small revenue maker to costing $1.2 million. And that's just in the operation. That doesn't take into account any of the capital needs. And so with that being said, we we do anticipate that we'll need a 16% rate increase just to cover the operations.

Um and so there there'll be more discussion on that. The select board had some great questions uh and some good dialogue with the board of public works.

When it comes to solid waste, which is as I mentioned trash and recycling, uh there will be an increase this year in the annual fee. Uh we did had have an increase this past year. the the board is still considering their options for increasing the annual smart program fee.

Uh bags will not be increased this year.

It may be something that we need to look at in the future, but we will be uh having to increase the annual fee. That may that ranges in the range of approximately $ 20 to $35. $20 was the initial recommendation. However, uh $20 would still mean that there's a deficit in that operation and we shouldn't be running deficits um in these accounts.

And so, uh, our team is analyzing where that number needs to be. Like I said, it's likely around that $30 to $35 mark.

Um, and we'll be making a recommendation to the full board of public works at their meeting uh in the near future. In addition, we had some uh good news. Uh, we have uh Mark Fenu, retired from the Department of Public Works. He's worked for the town for 32 years, most recently as the assistant superintendent of water pollution control. Uh Mark has been a dedicated employee to the town, has uh

worked his way up and like I said, most recently the assistant superintendent.

So we make we thank Mark for all of his service to the town. Uh we had a really nice opportunity to present him with a citation from the select board in the department of public works presented him with a nice uh plaque as he goes off into retirement uh actually the day after the select board meeting. So thank you Mark for your service. Uh we also approved a professional engineering

contract with Mr. Dave Hickox. Dave Hickox is the former DPW director. He's also a certified professional engineer and uh we need to have someone who has the professional engineer status uh so they can review plans and sign off on plans. So we have a consulting contract with Mr. Hickox to do that work. We also gave an update uh as you may recall town meeting approved a charter change that

would increase the membership of the board of public works from three members to five. And so uh we've had about 12 or 13 applicants for the board of public works which is great. Uh the select board individually reviewed them, provided their initial feedback to me which I have compiled. Um and we will be bringing in several candidates at a board of public works meeting for interview and then uh for a final

interview before the select board for them to make their decision and appointment process.

Uh there were a few constable appointments. Heather Roy was a new constable appointment and then uh Gordon Burgess was a reappoint constable. There is a sign request uh at Mason and Center Street. Uh the director of public works was here to comment on that as well as our safety officer. Both recommended that the sign be placed there. There was a recent motor vehicle accident. Uh and

so this is something that the board approved unanimously. There was a temporary sign permit request for Spirit Halloween. Uh this is something that has happened year over year at 380 uh State Road and so the board did approve that as well. Uh some more good news. The town the board uh voted to accept a $100,000 donation from the Dartmouth Friends of the Elderly. This is to move forward with the kitchen and COA

renovations the main room off of the kitchen. And so uh we're very appreciative to the friends of the elderly continuously supporting uh the town as a whole really and particularly uh the council on aging and the seniors in town. So, uh, this would not be possible without the friends of the elderly and and we graciously appreciate their support. Uh, we had another presentation with the Crepo Hill

Landfill. Uh, Anthony Novelli, who is the executive director of the landfill, came in and provided an update on um, operations there. The just the amount of money that we save in solid waste. So, I know I mentioned that we have to increase rates. However, uh if we were paying the kind of market rate to dispose of our trash, we would be looking at a much higher cost um for us

to do so. We pay about $25 a ton to dispose of our trash. The market rate is around $110 $120 a ton. And so um it it equals out based on the tonnage. Over this past year, we saved over $500,000 a year directly for Dartmouth residents.

So it's it's a great uh great thing that the Crap Hill Landfill is doing. We have representation on that board and they're doing an excellent job and uh the presentation went through kind of the life expectancy. They're going to work on a new cell that would hopefully expand the life expectancy of the landfill another 10 to 12 years. So great things going on there and you can tune in to watch the full presentation

uh if you're interested in that. Serped, the town's regional planning agency also came in to give an update and overview on the housing production plan. And so uh there was some great dialogue. The housing production plan is something that the state approves. Uh it allows us to be open for several grant opportunities. One of the other things it also does is if we have a state approved housing production plan, we are

able to um if if we have a 40B application, which is affordable housing, we have a number of them before the ZBA right now. If we have an application that is approved that results in at least 0.5% or 1% uh so basically 0.5 to 1% uh in additional affordable housing units what we can do is we are eligible for a safe harbor for up to a year um in some cases 2 years

depending on how much um affordable housing that you are adding. So we anticipate being over 10% which is that threshold the state sets. So, not quite as crucial um right now, but it's always a good tool to have in our tool belt as we look at these projects going forward.

It's also just a good planning document uh that allows us to stay on track of housing. Uh we certainly there was a survey where hundreds of residents responded and um there certainly is a lack of kind of starter homes, affordable homes in Dartmouth and uh it's it's a good thing that we want to look at going forward. And so, Serped did a great job. That plan will now be sent off to the state as it's been

endorsed by both the planning board and the select board. Once uh formally approved, we'll post it online for the public uh to view and and uh provide your feedback on uh the human resources consulting contract. I've mentioned before Susanna Cunningham, our HR director, uh has left the town and so we do have a a new HR director which is later on in the agenda for us to approve the contract. Uh, in the meantime, we

have requested to bring back uh, Sue Cunningham as an HR consultant, helping us part-time. So, this is just a contract. We've done this in the past with many other positions. Uh, and the board approved for me to sign and move forward. Uh, we also have an opening on the Greater New Bedford Voltek School Committee, and I wanted to give the board an update in the public on what that process looks like. And so per the

regional agreement, uh the town of Dartmouth's appointing committee for a new member on the school committee is the chair of the select board, a member of the school committee that the school committee self- selects and the town moderator. And so uh the school committee is meeting in the next week or two to select their uh their individual who will serve on the committee and then we will meet with those three

individuals for them to make an appointment to the greater new veter school committee. Um, we also appointed a uh tenant to the Dartmouth Housing Authority. It's another requirement. Uh, we the housing authority went through the process and there was one individual attendant uh who lives at the housing authority who was interested and so Mary Ventura was appointed. Um, the Russell

Mills Historic District, we appointed two members, Margaret Wool and Jason Clark. This is uh being done as we need a quorum of the committee right now. we have some legal action that uh the town has been uh provided with and we need to respond and so we need at least a quorum of that group moving forward we still will be going through the process to make final appointments that is a seven

member committee with a couple of alternates and so um what I would say is if you've applied we've had a number of individuals which is great this does not mean that you're not going to be selected we just um selected a couple of individuals to move forward for now and then we'll be going forward we also appointed a number of individuals for the water quality committee uh Mr. Almey, Miss Murray, Mr. Depalo,

and Mr. Powell all represent their respective board of public works, board of health, conservation, and waterways.

Uh then there was just a few carryover items from the previous meeting which were uh reappointments to several boards and committees and all of those individuals were reappointed um by the select board. We had line item transfers. This is a housekeeping item.

Um at the end of the year, we do not have line item autonomy. So whatever town meeting approves, we have to stay within those individual lines in the budget. And so sometimes things happen, things are unexpected and we go over in one line but not over in another. So we had five line items that went a little bit over this year and we needed uh finance committee approval which they

already did. And last night the select board uh approved the the transfers. So, $3,300 for console on aging wages, $8,000 for finance expenses, $93,000 for Medicare payroll tax, and uh $500 for youth commission expense. And the final item on new business was our new human resources director, Caroline Melo.

Caroline will be starting with the town uh August 31st. We're very excited to welcome her. She brings a wealth of knowledge. She worked in another municipality and um will be great addition to the team here in Dartmouth.

We're excited to have her. She was selected. We had a internal team as well as two member members of the select board serve on it. And uh we're excited to to bring Miss Melo on board. Under updates from the town administrator, there are a number of great things going on in town. Um we just want to remind people about the Peyton Bridge with the extreme heat. Uh we're frustrated as well. Unfortunately, sometimes due to

the heat, the steel expands and we are not able to um operate the bridge accordingly. So, please bear with us.

We're we're working to get that uh fixed, but there's not much we can do in the extreme heat. Um, and a lot of other exciting things going on in town. Our first water quality committee is coming up on July 14th. And, uh, affordable housing buy down is the last thing I want to mention as that is a great program for first-time home buyers. You can find the information on our website.

U, applicants need to meet income limits. However, if you do meet those income limits and some other requirements, uh the town actually has up to $195,000 available in down payment assistance that would go to an applicant um to buy down the price of a home, make it affordable, and uh it's a great program.

So, encourage you if you have any questions, you can reach out to my office or the website and we will walk you through that process. Our next meeting uh will be on August 3rd and uh we hope to see you then. I also want to recognize Dr. Raheem Agai, his uh service on the zoning board of appeals over the last several years. He will no longer be on the board of appeals.

However, the board last night agreed to uh make him an an honorary member of the zoning board of appeals due to his service to the town. So, we thank Dr.

Agy for all of his service and we will see you back here after August 3rd for our next meeting. Thank you.