before we get started I read the um script provided Us by the governor's office for remotely held meetings good evening this meeting of the mayor select board is being conducted by via zoom and in person and speakers on our agenda some will be participating remotely and we may allow for public comment as well the select board would like to hear public comments and if there is further action required by the board the chair or meeting manager will add the matter as appropriate to a forthcoming agenda depending on the comment the board May if we are able within the confines of the open meeting law respond with information as opposed to needing to deliberate on the matter please note that while the option for remote attendance or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public this meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast to individually attendees unless otherwise required by law accordingly Please be aware that other people may be able to see you so please take care not to screen share your computer as anything you broadcast may be captured by the recording all of the materials for the evening meeting are on board docks with the exception of any executive session materials and we recommend the members of the public follow the agenda as posted on board docks unless the chair notes otherwise we will soon be turning to the first item on the agenda but before we do so permit me to cover some ground rules for Effective and clear conduct of our business and to ensure accurate meeting minutes the chair will introduce each speaker on the agenda after they conclude their remarks the chair will down the line of members inviting each by name to provide any comment questions or motions please hold your until your name is called further please remember to mute your phone or computer when you are not speaking please remember to speak clearly in a way that helps generate accurate minutes for any response please wait until the chair yield chair yields the floor to you and state your name before speaking if members wish to engage in colorfully with other members please do so through the chair taking care to identify yourselves for items with public comment after the members have spoken the chair will afford public comments as follows chair will first ask members of the public who wish to identify their names and addresses only and once the chair has a list of all public commentators we will call on each by name and Accord three minutes per comment public comment for public meetings will only be accepted in person for the open meeting law with that we will turn to the first item on our agenda which is public comments do we have any public comments in the room with either okay my name is Christine 19 Michael May um I he this is the wrong time to voice opposition to the select board putting out any kind of resolution on behalf of the citizens of mayard about SE fires National politics International politics I like and I don't not here to debate the merits of it I just like you to stay in your lane like of people want to take on could you could you could you do me a favor could you change your phraseology tiny bit and sign something other than stay in your lane I would like you to because I appreciated your email except the last line that tells us to stay in our lane this is our Lan so if you can find a different phraseology to to discuss it with us I would appreciate it I would like to ask you to I you were elected to be the select Board of not you're not Senators you're not congressmen you don't speak for the people of Mayor on other topics you're not endorsing candidates you're not and so I'm not I'm not going resolution I just like to I think best out of interational andal politics thank seems like there's plenty of other business of Manor that needs to take place agend thank you anybody else in any public comments yes sir this is it this is the opportunity right now is represent rest up and I truly love M it but I experienced this before when they allow food trucks and the other P to come in and put along the app um Wanted destroy the beautiful Town look also $100 you get to hear I paid over 7,000 CH to the city of May mind I've donated a half years depart school department uh pay rent pay taxes um pay U it cost me a lot of money why I sto making a profit and for them to have a restaurant outside my restaurant and pay only $100 I feel very discriminatory meet personal every other restaurant own and when I did experience that came have two restaurant look it up like back in the9 they did it up and down mass for 28 years and they did eventually allow these food Comm put 60% of the local people who work 800 hours a week like I do 7 days a week they got families dis support and the businesses closed down eventually they did get rid of the trucks but it also devaluated the property the inlaws didn't collect their rents they were locked up for quite a long time and I think it's disturbing to see that happening in may we donate all our money and all our time to make something successful and it can be taken away in a blink of an eye because I can't compete against a guy who doesn't pay rent doesn't pay electric FS doesn't pay uh other utility doesn't pay high Insurance to protect the public that's coming in and the employees that are working um compensation and a lot of these people attach businesses who to say they are actually paying the meal tax and all these other things but we have to tend and it's just absolutely not fear because it bothers because Soul if the my wife s s over is in bed all that was even allowed to happen once it's like open a hand BLX you want to see a line of trcks up the street we will devaluate property in there not just the businesses and I think that's something we guys look at to take serious because I won't be around I like to be here for the next 10 or 15 years but if I have to compete and I have to sell my sandwich to make a small profit at 10 or 12 $15 they can sell their at four they're not regulated by the Board of Health that puts me out of business and I don't think you want that to happen I don't think anybody in this room the town wants it to happen you know what I'm saying you have to create a fair playing field they want to have the pedalist have them on events have them on special occasion I says there's one out there now he he CH this vehicle so now he takes up two space FR of the three spaces you know what I'm saying so you let one you got let I'm not saying that he was let in intentionally because I don't know answer but you know mistakes happen they should be corrected it's just not fa for everybody that that has a restaurant work so who establish put all their money into it when I to made my wife fell in love with this town I fell in love with the town there was not one person that comes to my store I see them and I'm smiling they're smiling but they can't smile when you're working 105 hours a week and I'm telling you this is the truth I work seven days a week last day I had on my witness Christmas Day I say I had to say police place order $1,000 with the sandwiches because they I appreciate them they appreciate us give them a hand they give us a hand and that's all I have to say whatever you can do to prevent it and I know you guys got kind hearts and understand it's not a regular job it's not a 40 hour job not a 50 hour job not a 60 hour job I got my mother who 91 depends on me supporter have someone to take care of her I have my daughter who's disabled I have to take care of her and as a single mom I get mortgages to pay I got bills to pay that if that went down it CRI my whole family and it's you wouldn't want it happen to any of you up here or anybody El here family any other business owner family you know what I'm saying and I apologize taking so much time but that's all I wanted to let you guys know I don't know if I should stay any longer to listen to anything else but I hope you can listen to my H as I mean when I say I can break down a kids when I think of my family I have been struggling with one of my children very sickly you know permanently disabled and you all know it you all probably found the store you look at her she looks beautiful on the outside but she's only qu to live to 40 years old and I'm stuck with her daughter and she could die at any moment my my thing is that I did this because but now all of a sudden things could change and you know I I know that continue that that means I have to get up I don't want to do I really love that's all I got to say all right thank you very much thank you very any other public comments in the room yes sir go on can you say your name Michael Wan work at family about 2 is my the stage food trucks been out there during the week about THS Friday and hey it comes to my I out that now that could be four 500 maybe even 600 bucks that's going the other way and we're still TR a lot and anyways whatever you thank you anybody else okay people [Music] many year and just TR and pay even if they pay too much I feel we one man to survive in the restur we need to think about to work and um I really next week or next month next year going to I another Mex resta okay thank you any anybody any other public comments in the room anyone else in the room have any comments on any topic this will be the chance okay um FR can you um One online bet I believe it says hello Betsy do you have your hand up yes I do I wanted to make a public comment this is the time okay yep I've been waiting thanks right hi um my name is fsy garstein I live at 33 conquered Street um and I am speaking out in support of the resolution for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza um I disagree strongly with um I forgot the woman's name the woman who spoke first um I think this is very much uh in quote unquote the lane for um any public official or private that is to speak out about this um it part of the part of the problem with um with the Holocaust was that a lot of people didn't speak out and speaking out and becoming and joining uh the number of towns in Massachusetts who have already passed similar resolutions um it really puts pressure on people who have you know that more of that you know typical um responsibility um you know in government um of senators uh other congressmen um it's very important that we apply pressure because it's really all we can do and it's our tax dollars that are going to fund what is what's happening and um Israel could not be inflicting this genocide without the direct financial and weapon support from the United States that is really clear and I want to just point out that the very first part of the resolution specifically says whereas the town of meard Select board condemns all forms of anti-semitism islamophobia racism and bigotry in mayard and we welcome people from all backgrounds and beliefs in our town I don't know how anyone could not support that and agree with that statement and I speak as an anti-zionist Jew and this tragedy affects me incredibly so because this is happening and it's not in my name you know but I it it's so it's very difficult emotional situation and I think that we can walk and Sho gum at the same time the town can support this resolution and go about the business of you know fixing Pooles and talking about roosters that are too noisy for certain neighbors I I don't know about that I wasn't there last night but my point is that I you know I really disagree with the notion that oh oh we can't really we shouldn't be passing or even discussing this because local officials have no stay in any of the policies and it's you know quote unquote out of their Lan highly disagree with that I think that you know now we're up to 35,000 deaths um the time this resolution was written it was 30,000 and 69% of those deaths are women and children so think about the size of M we're what about 11,000 people and you double that and that's you know we're getting close to how many women and children have been killed and if you're just talking about kids it's well over 15,000 that's bigger than our town so I just want people to think about that um and that's all I have to say and I I hope that um Whenever there is a vote that the board votes in favor of this resolution thank you thank you um there's another one um dorine hi yeah I don't know if you read I I sent a letter to the board I don't know if you read that letter off or um I miss what can you can you tell us your name and address please um my name is dorine Gman and I live at deer paath tath and M correspond yeah we have we have your um email letter under our correspondence items this evening okay did you read that allow to during the meeting I missed the first half of the meeting no we did not read it we did not read it allow The Correspondents to typically go to the board and the board members um read them consider them and and then we we act on act when appropriately okay well I just want I'll speak out publicly that I um oppose you writing a ceasefire regulation uh resolution because um what town of M it does it's not going to affect what Israel does Israel is going to do what they're going to do um you're not going to influence them in any way our tax dollars that we pay here in mid are not going towards Israel that's our federal dollars that are doing that um in the time spent on this should be better spent on uh doing things in M it that need to be fixed um to talk about genocide there is no genocide going on a genocide is a deliberate attempt to um kill off members of a group that is not Israel's intention uh Israel's intention is to uh root out Hamas and get rid of them because Hamas has vowed to do this to Israel again and again what they did on October 7th they in their chatter if you read it it says that they their mission is to totally destroy Israel and to kill Jews in Israel and around the world so we are all at risk Hamas is a is a terrorist group it's been listed so by Us and other countries it is not no humanitarian uh organization um and they have put their citizens in homeways only that the reason for doing this is to delegitimize Israel and to and to demonize Israel so that they look bad look um to say oh look how many civilians have have been killed and the numbers that they're quoting are not accurate um how are they you know getting people knowing exactly how many people are being killed you know there's a lot of rubel there um and that's been disputed by the UN recently they half the numbers it is a shame When anybody is killed in war it's but it is war um and Israel it always seems to be the only country that's singled out for anything that it does um Israel has the right to defend itself and and its citizens so I do not think that the board should be making any kind of decision about this um okay okay thank you very much right um Gigi you missed the beginning you have any you want any comments Gigi because I know you weren't here so I'm I'm doing the comments in the room now so if there's any other comments in the room and I know you came after we started so if you have a comments you'd like to make please feel free okay thank you anyone else online conning about the fut um I think I email this morning to WR my concern restur um I am support small local loal bus however I think that and um since where we at is a lot of business too and share a lot of public um and now they over um not only that the they using are very l so I don't think it's appropriate for my customer they and they SC so last Saturday they with so I and they call me and for years and a lot of you know me okay thank you very much I have a comment but I don't know how to raise my hand okay who who's this Robin shman Third Street mayard okay my first comment is when someone speaks standing at that place where that woman just was I I we can't hear it on Zoom it's all jumbled up okay and the only other thing I'd like to say is I do support the ceasefire resolution and I'd be happy to talk with anyone who has concerns about it um search for what the truth is of what is or isn't happening over there and um hopefully we can all find common ground to do our part to stop um needless killing that's it thank you very much thank you thank you anybody else in the room before we move on to other topics no all right item number four on our agenda tonight is the consent agenda would anybody like to make a motion I will move to approve consent agenda items a through d as presented contingent upon adherance to all federal state and local public health and safety guidance authorizing use of sign digital signatures of approve okay okay any um conversation about these four items FL day thank you very much thank you thank you so much thank you for for those that are in the audience that may be here for their particular item um the four of them are annual Flag Day for Els the mayard library annual concert for the dates that uh for July 20th and the use of town property by the mayor community band for evenings June 29th and August 30th as well as a town chard of amendment certification so anybody I'm sorry I'm not speaking loud enough until I don't want to sound like I'm yelling you I wanted to make sure that anybody who's here for these items knew that their item has been addressed and they are the the items on the consent agenda are the use of town property at the Elks for the annual Flag Day uh ceremony on June 14 the use of town property uh for the manor free annual concert the library free concert on Memorial Park which is scheduled for July 20th the use of town property for the mayard community band at Memorial Park on Wednesday evenings June 29th to August 30th and then there's a town Charter Amendment certification that the board has to routinely approve that is also included so if you're part of that your item is being addressed and and theoretically approved by the board in just a second so that you are aware and if you want to depart you can if you want to stay please we welcome yeah you're welcome to stay all night um so the consent agenda is typically um repeat business Ann annual events that we've already approved in the past they just come up for our approval um if anybody here has a question for anyone in the room that's part of any of these three items um we'll we'll ask but typically you guys don't need to participate we'll just usually you know we have seen these before we know what they are you know the Flag Day the free concert and the um community band stuff we that's old business to us we just kind of go through this process so um we've approved it again for 2024 so um there's really not much participation unless you're going to do something crazy we need to know about but um does anybody in the board have any comments or questions about these four items I actually want to um say I want to thank uh Jean for um coating with um Mass barter shop and Fine Arts and choosing the day that worked better for them um because I I really appreciate you working with them to do that glad to do it and we appreciate their of great to work with support okay um any other questions comments concerns all right all those in favor of the consent agenda this evening thank you guys good luck with your events if there's anything else we can do for you let us know also [Music] try and pressure us what what day of the week is the 14th this year okay okay all right thank you very much good luck y so we have um there's we also have a motion to move to approve the use of community events account towards the town's Personnel cost in support of the Flag Day event on June 14th 2024 with that okay y all right um so what are we doing with that that Greg know it's just that um sometimes applicants will will ask for additional support so in the application say are there other resources you may need this particular place the Flag Day apparently for support and I think public said that that would probably require overtime which is fine and and we can afford it to speak and then never account and I just it's for transparency sa something else the board I'm I'm confident be all right anybody have any question there was not a second I don't think just SEC but it was that on the agenda yes yeah it's it's yeah yeah you yeah up up up up up up up yeah yeah I see that but I I mean the specific it's you click on it okay I'm sorry got it okay all right um all right so all those in favor of the move to approve the use of community events fund for Flag Day events all right thank you keep can you can you just let them know we approved that Greg because they're they're gone and they might not know all right um so now we will um would like to reopen the public Hearing in regards to the um alcohol license transfer of mayard lias 86 pill Road are we ready for that yeah I think so I think we're joined by attorney Porter okay and so it just says a little bit of background to remind the board and public um this is the second time um this particular applicant is found as represented by um attorney border and it's for um the transfer of the LI license that is down on on Power Road um this is new owner under management one and so this is a continuance from the last meeting last meeting there was little bit of a mixup a little bit of confusion um because it's not just the transfer the applicant is also seing endorsement of uh pledge of federal and pledge of inventory um according to the attorney again attorney um that's that is not not to be alarming it's kind of standard in the industry these days um but the board did ENT time my request to get back up from town coun so we asked Town Council and bit back for between that Council for and in my opinion it all seems to be fine it all seems to be on way um one note is that the um the actual um transfer of the Pledge and the promise those are signed after the final applications by the see that that doesn't sound long to either that's that I mean my understanding would be that the business is fully transferred once the appol license is completed the business is ring on um anyway so that's a little bit but I'm sure board ask questions attorney no I think that was the only question right was that that language believe that language has been resolved do we believe that ask I'm just making sure that we oh yeah yeah including you agree that that language issue has been resolved and now we can move forward with the two motions a lot of the on this is on so doesn't agree then okay so um as this is a public hearing is there anybody in the room would like to comment on the um proposed um transfer of a license at 86 pill Road okay I would ask if there was any questions online but we're not allowed to because it's public hearing and you have to be in the room so if someone would like to make a two motions there's two motions to be made we'll make move to approve section 15 package store all alcoholic beverages license transfer application inclusive of a pledge of collateral and pledge of inventory from manard lickers Inc at 86 cill road authorizing use of digital signatures if approved second um any further conversation in the room and all those in favor oh yeah roll um Jeff yes Justine yes yes David yes Mike yes oh yes so that and I will move to authorize the town administrator's office to distribute the section 15 package store all alcoholic beverages licensed remaindered Liquors Inc at 86 powdermill road upon approval from the alcoholic beverages Control Commission aka the abcc authorizing use of digital signatures if approve second and again any comments in the room any coming from the board roll call Vote chff Yes chus yes David yes Mike yes and I a yes so we're good thank you Porter you got it thank you appreciate it have a good night right it is thank you sir 759 would anybody like to make a motion to close the public hearing all move to close the public hearing at 759 all second anyone have a second all right all in favor I don't think we need roll call that dude David Mike yes all right so we're out of that public he all right so we have a um Eagle steal project from Ronan Raptor I was gonna guess you Ronan yeah the uniform got all right Ronan um welcome um let me see what if there's a motion here okay we have a motion okay um why don't you tell us what you want to do and how you want to do it and how we can help and then we'll get to the motion and hopefully move on I'm here to get or I go to Bo committee there I the rail trail here in town I actually have some handouts absolutely yes proba yeah yeah so here Mike I have it on I I have it a packet pict all right okay um my sponsor the trail flowers and park who's actually done work for the town other projects similar to this volunteer work in the past um so project to plant the 1520 pollinator friendly plants that bys and other within the rail trail area find J garage I I came here approval for it be six feet from the trail which will allow for the caretakers of the rail trail to continue with their with their mowing T they will be mow main obviously PL to and every two or so two times a week I will watering them until they areer one either on June June 8th to 9th or the 15th to 16 hoping for at least 10 volunteers minimum a mixture between Scouts and adults and po to20 we're hoping to complete this in about two to three hour session okay um if you're looking for volunteers you may want to seek out the mayor tree treee Community Tree club and the Garden Club The Garden Club well and I also think you you'll you'll get a lot of your uh your scout volunteers as well correct yes that's where I'm primarily hoping to get all right okay anybody have any questions comments for Ronan uh I just have Ronan this is wonderful thank you very much for to this project I'm a big fan of the rail frail I use it a lot and so this is something that I see most days thank you to your effort andar me absolutely um so would anybody else any comments for or would any you like to make a motion I will move to approve proposed Eagle Scout project from Scout Rowan Raptor for plantings and Landscaping on Town property along the aset river railro as presented second okay all those in favor thank you for coming in and good luck Lu thank you oh yeah yeah take these back just in case you need somebody else saving paper we have it all electronic Lu go Scott and you are installed yeah yes all right you have two appointments be rough kid all right um let's we have two appointments to make tonight would anybody like to make a motion on the first which is to approve the appointing of Mark coning to the senior center committee move to approve Mark con to the senior center committee with 2026 authorizing use of digital signatures and second any um he's not here right now any conversation questions concerns comments have you have you had have you met him I have met him I haven't see at that committee but I haven't met him yes I haven't talked about this but I and there other shifting sub committies around or what the committee what yeah okay never ending moving talk those committees Cherry that Cherry's people all that um nobody knows anywh anyone the non toown ones like a certain number of community members I'm fine with I don't yeah so anyways um all in favor of Mark joining the senior center committee all right so you'll guess someone will get in touch with Greg one of the Gregs no all right um now we have a appointment for Wade Chris Reese to the cultural Council would like to make a motion move to approve Wade Chris ree to the cultural council with a term expiring June 30th 2026 authorized use of digital signes ifov is Mr Chris here I would uh be remiss if I didn't comment that Mr Reese not only has he my neighbor but on top of that he is our newest um Library trustee as a result of last week's election so I would congratulate him on his willingness to serve not only and I said this to him last night he is now a uh Mr trustee as well as he will now be Mr commissioner all right I I do have to ask one so there's no conflict at all right between library and cultural Council and Farmers like you you do a lot which is great but I'm just wondering how that conflict would be you know if the farmers market benefit from music okay all right um any other questions concerns oh now get another job thank you very much for volunteering we appreciate it very much and don't forget to get sworn you get sworn in you got you got want before the first meeting did you participate actively you just need to um just come in town clerk where you two seconds thank you um number eight Community electricity aggregation program has been removed from the agenda we now get into contracts and the first contract is that of planning director Bill nimer see here no yeah you can speak to the contract I didn't I just go no yet usually he is but he's not so go ahead oh so um this is the contact for our what was the reason for the delay on the last oh so I've been in touch with s um and they wanted to do a couple more couple more actions I I'm not I can't remember exactly they wanted to be more prepared before the board started the official 30-day period so that was it than yeah she wanted us to initiate the 30-day period tonight and but she wasn't ready Mr ner has been with town for 10 years um this is a three-year contract it's a little late it's uh this this contract is to started July 1st 202 these things do sometimes take some time um and you know amicable negotiations between myself um with the support of ass administrator dougen and looking into comparable communities and positions and experienc in that I believe Mr Jer has more than proven his work and value to the town especially as indicative last night success we had from um pretty heavy actions and I think the sort the NTA communities um the adus uh gun ranges but that's that's only just sort of the typod bill has been instrumental in the long-term long range progress in prosperity um and partnership planning board and select board and Bill is a great advisor fantastic member okay all right does anybody have any um public comments to make in regards to this contract that we discussed earlier in executive session this evening anybody like to make a motion in regards to Mr nsu's coming Conta I'll move to approve Personnel employment agreement with Bill D planning director effective July 1st 2023 remain in full force in effect until June 30th 2026 as presented second okay um comments no I'll just reiterate the Town Administrator just said I think the in particular the outcomes that we saw from town meeting last night around the MVP Community act where we saw a lot of consternation in other communities that we were able to have thoughtful plan discussion last night the Firearms represented a lot of great work with stakeholders in advance to town meeting the adus is something that that I think has been uh underutilized in glad to see an update to that bylaw as well many other pting so a lot of dep beond just the the on on those actions that we saw last night in addition to other things from the past three years the plan okay um all right um anything else from the board Echo Jeff s and comments about Bill all right all those in favor of Bill's contract anyone oppose no okay thanks Greg for your work on that we're fishing um yeah great all right um EPA 319 Grant application Greg you want to just give us the quick do the best I can but this is nothing else than a point of introduction to um Sarah nin um so Sarah has been she is part of the and they have been partner with the town in regards to storm water management and a couple other infrastructure projects particularly men so this is EPA grants it is from a federal level but um it is is going to be I think critical in the town's long-term storm water management approach the specifics after that I'm not so great on so I'm gonna I'm gonna ask Sarah sure um hi everyone yeah I'm Sarah Alvin you've seen me before I'm um a VHB in the town's uh stormw water ms4 consultant um so just to be clear the form that we need you to sign tonight is purely a form that um it basically authorizes Greg to Greg and um if we put Justin's name down um Justin uh the DPW director to be able to sign a contract but we are only applying for the grant right now we aren't signing any contract it's just for some reason the the Grant application includes this form they want to make sure that we have the right people on board ready to sign a contract if we are awarded the grant so that's all we're asking for tonight is just signature on a form um authorizing the Town Administrator and the DPW director to be able to sign a contract um but just really big picture on what this Grant application is um we you you've heard me talk before about a potential storm water utility for the town of mayard um and we've been looking at this grant opportunity the EPA 319 grant for a while um and we were actually planning to apply next fiscal year um and talk about potentially getting a match um because it normally requires a 40% match um but this amazing opportunity came up where just this year um basically EPA was able to raise the funds from with federal dollars for to wave the match to wave the 40% match so we scrambled to apply this year um because obviously that match is a big hurdle to applying to this kind of Grant um so we are applying for a grant to um investigate the feasibility of a implementing a storm water utility in mayard um and so this this if we were awarded the grant this project would allow us to figure out how much we would charge people um how you know how much we'd have to raise um the billing structure the administrative program all those kinds of things um and and yeah so that's what this grant is about we're crossing our fingers that we're going to get it it's due this Friday um it's pretty much all buttoned up at this point other than this form and a couple other you know te's that need to be crossed and eyes that need to be dotted um but yeah that's the that's the scoop okay anybody have any questions hearing hearing that Sarah's Sarah I think we're we're all familiar from your previous presentation but we have a lot of people on here who who are not could you just give us a three sentence background on on what the utility would seek to have us comply with sure so um a stormw the basic concept of a stormwater utility is um or it's a stormw Enterprise fund that we'd be setting up which would essentially be a separate pot of money um dedicated solely to um mayard storm water program um right now there's a lot of deferred maintenance a lot of um struggle to comply with storm water permits um because the storm water program competes with uh everything else that needs funding from the general fund um and like water and sewer you know storm water is actually a taking storm water off of people's properties um when those properties have impervious cover um that's a service that the town provides um at least that's how this is you know viewed under a stormw water utility um and so essentially it would be we'd be kind of creating a a fee to charge um Property Owners based on the amount of impervious cover they have on their property um and that fee would basically create the revenue that would go into this storm water Enterprise fund and we'd be able to deal with the neglected maintenance and the um ms4 permit compliance and um pay for a lot of other things that are currently paid for under the general fund but could be paid for under this fund like street sweeping um yeah things like that okay uh for anybody that's interested um in what we're talking about and what Sarah is talking about um ms4 is something that the town has been looking at and working towards um for several years and there is volumes of information out out there on ms4 and what it what it means and what we're required to do per the um regulations so it's there's a background to it out there if anybody is interested in looking in in more information because it's kind of sort of beyond the um scope of what we typically do when it's something that our DPW director is very familiar with and if you want to get in touch with Justin DeMarco who can help you understand it as well and that's ms4 um anybody like to make a motion in regards to the ms4 uh 319 EPA grants move to authorize the Town Administrator and his design including the director of Public Works to submit the application for the section 319 EPA glunt authorizing use of digital signatures if second any other conversation questions concerns about this Grant always in favor okay Sarah you'll get that tonight wonderful tomorrow is totally fine thank you everyone have a good night you thank you um Green Meadow School building committee update uh we voted um to submit some detailed plans on Monday yesterday on a call it was a a um absent one member of the committee it was a unanimous decision to do so and that will go to msba immediately and they will come back to us if they have any um comments one member you mean one member was not there one one member voted no yeah one member voted yeah yeah I think it's important to note that the member who voted no did so because he felt that he had not had enough time to properly review the materials and he needed to he felt the need to be rigorous and felt that uh he couldn't uh fairly pass his boat without um demonstrating and and actually giving them the material of yeah correct so other than that they're moving ahead with certain um certain you know testings and borings and drillings and um other types of things and you know continue in the background to the um final plans um that's that update the senior center uh we haven't met in a little while we're meeting again I believe I think we meet Thursday night the 22nd the 23rd um if not we'll be meeting the next week but I believe we meet this week um right I don't think they did I was unaware of it I never saw I never got into gender an update on it so I I didn't I go so all right I will um get in touch with Jerry and get an update because I was una aware that I missed a meeting no one ever sent me anything or anything all right um so correspondence um didn't you know they approved the whole thing would you like to see the pl listen listen trust me they might they might try um so we have a multitude of correspondents this evening would anybody like to make a motion or Gods least correspondence I will move to accept correspondences a through K as presented okay um any anybody have any comments or questions about these correspondents I would just like to thank those people who did uh correspond uh this is obviously an important issue to many people with many points of you and for us to uh receive them I think is very helpful to get a sense of of you know how people throughout the town field so I would welcome more people to uh to submit comments on this subject and others because that's how we can find out and engage public opinion on these kinds of issues so thank you believe the comment I believe the topic that speaking of is the Palestine ceasefire resolution suggestion that there's several um correspondence has received in favor several against and then there was a couple of um correspondents about a dpu permit or request for comments um the main a golf course April 2024 report and then um uh so the your email is not make it because we got it late today but it we go into our next correspondence so you'll see it in the in as part of public record um but that will that will we will add that as well um but anyway so um does anybody have any other comments about these items that we just accepting the correspondence and the record would anybody like to make a motion it's already been made made seconded okay um all in favor all right so we have some minutes to approv you like to make a motion on a [Music] minutes Ive to accept and approve meeting minutes of April 16 2024 as shown authorizing digal signatures if approve second all right um any discussion on the minutes all those in favor of the minutes okay um next up is the Israel Palestine resolution conversation um we've been asked by several community members to support a resolution in favor of a ceasefire and Palestine and we've also been asked um by several members of the community to not support a resolution in support of a ceasefire and pal um so I don't know what the um flavor of the board is I think that we all understand what's going on there I think we all have our own opinions about it and I think that um that's that's obviously you know intelligent adults are paying attention to the things around the world especially this topic but I for one agree with several people that have contacted us that this is something that is outside the purview of the mayor select board but I am only one of five people so if anybody else has another opinion or would like to make a motion to do something different um we you're welcome to do so but I am uh not against the ceasefire in particular but I'm just not in the opinion that this is something that's within our preview I've read the mainor town Charter several times about our roles and responsibilities and I think this goes beyond our responsibilities and roles as on the select board I think as an individual and as individuals each of us can make our own statements to our um State delegation our federal delegation and or um anybody else in a position to cause and effect at at a higher level that's my opinion um if everybody else anybody else want to share their opinion Justine um I I agree I agree Chris um I think that this has been it's a hard topic uh to to sit and listen um and try to respect all of the input that we have gotten um because it is all important and um and I as a as an individual do understand that um that this is an important topic but I agree that this is not a this is not the forum for or this is my my voice but this is not what the select board should be taking a stand up we have taken we have made public statements in the past regarding um anti-asian violence we have made public statements about believe racism and there might be one other one anti-i and those were those were statements regarding things or regarding incidents or or trying to protect the residents that are here in mayor that we serve and I I have struggled with this I have been thinking about this for the past four weeks or five weeks since it's been since it's come up um but I really just don't see that I'm I am not in favor of making a statement regarding this I would I would agree and I think that there is a concern from my perspective about President setting that this board would suddenly be um approached by any number of possible issues national International uh Etc um that could just become too much uh you where does it end on requests from our Board of five people hired by the residents of mayard I should say voted elected by the uh residents of mayard to uh run the town's business um and you know I'm I'm not an expert in international Affairs nor am I uh a National Defense expert nor am I you know a an international politician um I don't even consider myself a local politicians so uh so I just don't think it falls in into the roles as described of the select board um in the town um I actually think that the board does have a responsibility to respond to um articles of this nature um despite the fact that they might seem Way Beyond the scope of what we normally deal with um this resolution proposed by M for Palestine calls for very specific actions by the US government so what I try to do is to establish well what kind of PRI IA are needed for the select board to vote on a resolution of this nature so regardless of its merits the resolution or any resolution must surely carry the weight of broad General strong majority support by the citizens of the town in order for it to be a truly authentic statement representing the town and it would be wrong to claim to represent the voice of the town when in fact the opinions are very divided as evidenced by the communications that have been received by us on board uh it's not unreasonable to imagine that a select board either for or against this resolution could result in ironically greater divisiveness within the town and interfere with the issues and questions of daily concern to us so I asked the question um uh is has the criteria been met in this case um by the by this group and I would say no so just despite my reluctance to support and vote on this ceasefire resolution I do applaud the group and others for their concern about the horrors that are taking place and the desire to find some way to affect change and limit the suffering on all sides um I also go to thinking about well what can we do as a community and this is where I think the board maybe can provide some leadership uh we can help Foster a climate in which people can exercise their rights to freedom of expression which is important of course um within the official Town structure for example there's the human Relations Committee which is currently dormant um but which has dealt with uh issues in the past for example the anti-asian uh violence sorry the anti no violence towards AG I want to make sure state that right yes um I was great encouraged to witness people carrying both Palestinian and Israeli Flags engaged in conversations with each other on the Dr the triangle in downtown man sharing muffins um I doubt if many of us are na naive enough to believe that one Kumbaya moment is sufficient to satisfy the need for resolution in the Middle East conflict we do need to guard against those who seek to be divisive and offensive and unfortunately um that has happened a little bit um but as with previous statements against hate and racism the work of fighting bigotry and hatred must be carried out by the community at large um so we have a challenge um absent the immediate threats of violence that other parts of the world see not just the the Middle East of course um we should be in a good place to practice the very attributes of peaceful conflict resolution that we so keenly want to see among the leaders of people around the world and that challenge is before all of us uh even as we go about our lives in Maine thank you yeah so I thought it was interesting the number of letters I received that Focus Less on the issues at hand and more on whether or not as we talked about already just a bit whether or not the select board should respond um and I I do think that the select board if they so choose can and should use its voice when it wants to and it's hard to put a black and white line around when that should or should not be and so while I'm sympathetic to the slipper slope argument um I I think if there's particular issues of morality that that we're aligned on and feel we have some representation from the town on we should feel that we can use our voice whether that's on State matter um an international matter but the criteria are never going to be clearly definable the the kind of secondary comment I saw on on these emails was that the issue is too complex and that one I I reject out of hand I think we all all of us in this town participants in a democracy were expected to make votes and decisions on leaders at the federal level at the state level at the municipality level on very complex issues and and educating ourselves as part that process so while I I am sympathetic to what is the mission select board and whether that creps Beyond it or selfy for the community um I think we all should be paying attention to complex topics especially when there are deep moral values moving on focusing on some of the um emails encouraging us not to support a seed fire um certainly acknowledging the horrific attacks on October 7th by including rape and killing um the continued holding of hostages by Hamas in Israel and the need for Israel to remove the ability of Hamas to commit those acts again um Balan On The Other Side by people who want to have the mayor select for support a ceas fire resolution really pointing out the failure of the IDF to adequately protect civilian life in the campaign against Hamas and the prevention of the proper arrival of humanitarian Aid food gas medicine into the territory that they control the exit some entrances to and the prevention of pre journalism uh in the war zone um aligned to practices that even the American government uh allowed during the war and it was interesting because I didn't NE see that those goals were in complete conflict with each other it was that there are challenges on both sides that are completely asymmetric um and when I then take a look at what other individuals who are saying around the country one thing that was particularly interesting to me was a reading from a series of University administrators some whove spoken before Congress and and are deing protests and divisions on own campus one of whom had something do effect where who said that it doesn't matter what I say I'm going to be cloon I'm going to be SP eny of this no matter what um and that felt way toly upon me that even saying something even trying to Su to a consensus is is going to put a Target on you no matter what um but I I just don't feel we should allow that to prevent us from speaking out when we see a moral issue I think that is very clear um couple other things I I just want to point out that I think can get lost in this spread um the government of Israel and the populace of Israel are differing opinions in many cases uh not to mention Hamas and the Palestinian population uh but in particular where you have a democracy where it's easier to get the opinions the populists I think it's important for us to note and this certainly different than the obvious comparison to America and it's war on terror where you had a surge of support for the president um you do not see that in Israel today see the populace was unhappy with their government before immediate run up and I'm happy with it since so while there was a rallying around the flag effect there's still deep divisions in Israeli politics and even more recently since we talked about this last week we've see keam members of that government criticizing the Prime Minister criticizing the actions and and that I think adds weight to the need for a fire and the proper conducts of the military in that zone in terms of delivering humanitarian Aid having a post governance plan for the god of script and adequately protecting civilian life um the other thing I want to recognizes that the American citizens of America doesn't have direct control but a huge amount of influence over that situation and Pa need to be on our own government to use that influence to come out with the outcome but the mechanisms I think are very difficult for us to prescribe in such a quick changing environment um so connecting all of those broader International points to the issue at hand on a m ceasefire resolution um one last moment I I had was to tally up all the pros and cons and they were about as of today including uh the commentary we had an even split I felt between people supporting and against and that actually was interesting to see that number vary over the last several weeks as they came in however I think it's very difficult for us to guarantee at any time if we have a very broad majority with the only exception of some formal election at town meeting I can't tell you how many times we've been at town meeting and I saw uh a Citizens petition in particular be quite wild in terms of what the prediction might be the final outcome and certainly more practice elections so I think that threshold is is too hard for for us to ever meet on on using our board um as a voice and so so while I would be prepared to support a resolution I think it would need to to come from the board I would want to rewrite in our own language we did that and I think the basis for that are the things that call for um on the side of Israel the protection of civilian life in its mission to eradicate the ability of M commit some of the perect acts they committed the allowance of humanitarian Aid into the territory um and then on the side of the M the return of hostages and and the common theme between all those when I really thought that out was they're all about the protection and respect and dignity of of non combatant life in a war zone in no territory there that is under great conflict and I think if we are to bridge the gap between the groups of people and as I said earlier I think a lot of them are talking a little bit past each other um where the there's an asymmetry between what the two individual groups want me to do in this particular situation and that's that is my attempt to to put together something that really speaks to moral values in terms of what I believe this community respects in terms of human life um and that's where I think if you were to come to a resolution those those three topics would be it so that's that's where I'm standing today I would just ask something like be part of this like I would even have known about something as important as the resolution that you're saying from town May should people so it's and and completely understand and um and it is really hard to follow um you know especially you know with with no Outlet other than Facebook to find things other than the town website and things like that um I would hesitate to personally um to publicize one item when every and I understand some of it seems very routine but a lot of items we handle every day are important so how do you how do you select one to say by the way this one everybody wants to look listen to because this is what we're GNA vote on so we but we do so but we do publish we do publicize we do publish our agenda so we meet the SE so we meet the first and third Tuesdays just forgot um of every month and that means the agenda is posted on that Friday before so anything that we do is on that and all of the information is in there so and that's why like that's why we don't have discussions outside of this because we want to make sure it's above we want to make sure this is not our agenda item this is an agenda item others asked us to put on there and that is and that's where it came from we we did not as a as a board say let's let's let's talk about Palestine let's talk about a resolution we were asked um uh a number of um agendas ago through correspondence items to get involved and I believe this is the third meeting that there's been a a Palestine um item or article information on our agenda but this is not this is not like we are you know um Town media articles and those type of things those are those are the things that we own we we put out there we put on there these are but when people ask us to do certain things you know we do them and that's it through the correspondence this is where we are at and this has been a um you know a difficult conversation amongst ourselves um and a different different I know it's been difficult thoughts and opinions you know individually too but this is not necessarily our item and this so the information as Justin said is out there we don't have there are no more um there are no more public newspapers in mayard there's no access to the information in May other than through the through the website or through people posting on Facebook none of the stuff really is um exists for us to to get that information out there we do sometimes stuff through the um action unlimited but other than that our opportunity to get stuff out there is really only through the town website and through um other people's post things we post on you know whatever social media the town is involved in we post on on those sites as well but really those are our only opportunities to get the information out to people and we you know the the town Town Hall staff that's as best they can with the limited information we have limited access we have people but and I I did want to just speak just real quick to your to your comment regarding that that Mike Stevens's statement was in there that actually was a statement he made at the last select board meeting so it wasn't that we were going to I know that that it looks like it's a statement I think the last select board meeting um Chris asked it it be entered into the record so but I think that it was put here and in this level so but that's that's why that looks that way and I did make it very clear in there I that that was my opinion and not the board opinion I I'll not that when I read through the meeting package in preparation B meeting one thing I looked like there looked at there was no motion suggested for that particular item it was to provide direction or take action so there was no indication to me that the chair or anybody else was planning a motion tonight on that topic um so that's flavored my commentary in terms of if we were to do this this is the broad language not a specific statement that we prepared to vote on I if we were to do that I think one thing we would do is look at some of the other towns increase the number of towns which is uh who have pass similar resolutions in the last several months and and see what appro they might have taken um and then one every meeting we talk about this more people are aware of it and we get more correspondence as well so that doesn't work for a lot of more of the dry issues set the town bases where we can wait for as many meetings as we want we will track but on this particular issue the communications would grow to indicate we were move into dire which seems like we're not right now and then the last thing I just want to point out is the other popular mechanism for employees to support um from the town with the assistance petition we these petitioners missed the cut off for the town meeting we had last night so they're just off cycle to a normal um two time meeting a year cycle so it would be that would be a clear up and down on a particular set of language and that can go in a lot of different directions and there's significant pros and cons to doing something that way as well so I would just like to make one other point that of a big challenge reiterating what Chris was saying the challenge of communication around town in the absence of the kind of media that used to exist and it baffles me that we now have so many more ways to communicate um and yet somehow we seem to communicate less um and the communication that does take place is often tending to be uh you more partisan in nature rather than discussing so I think that's a challenge that we as a board do have um is so maybe there are some things that we can do um to try to promote more awareness and involvement by people in the community on on any issue whether it's schools this water storm water uh you name that there's things that we we need more public input from think in wrapping up the topic I would just say although this evening we are not taking any action on the um request for a resolution from us does not mean that we are not going to still accept um communication and communicate back and forth with people who have a a desire to see us do something along these lines and to to you know some of the things that Jeff spoke about and some of the things that Mike spoke about as well you know um we are not you know just at this time we are not in a position we don't feel to make a a make a statement that a resolution would make but if people want to continue the dialogue and the conversation to mik's Point open communication and ongoing communication and education on this topic we are happy to be involved in that and with that we will move on to the next item which is the select board policies and we will talk about business operation and public spaces I don't you can start or I can start go ahead okay um get the get the niceties out of the way first that's IDE so context and it's already been a number of times um the has been partk um in certain parts of mayard the last week or so and according to my observation there is no clear policy against food Tru operation on S property in Department I checked the bylaws the charter the Ascension premise the common Victory license I just didn't see I see violated regulations I counil and no clear black and white policy against um that that particular operation now in the past the town the town has considered um the operation sales specifically and the board had considered that as the use of public proper in that case though my there was an expectation be display set up there in which case you're using more than the parking space it's beyond sort of like the limitation of it's a different um but the board had appr that so perhaps the board May approve this if they been that's near no there there is no clear policy to to adhere to apply to this particular in consideration of that um my advice to the select board is to take action and I think you can do two things you can come up with policy this evening which I don't have on hand to recommend with that Poli um or you can not take action and my my recommendation is to V to allow for my office which is advised by the town toide reg don't have to do that polies I would actually say probably a third which is um overgeneralize to do a moratorium on all on all operations of on Town under the under the Au a moratorium is a temporary protction don't that just means until there's regulations you there's no more operations whether be food trucks FL trucks time that so but barring any action I and again comping with Town Council on the bo Chief um I had no grounds as to order the C of operations that which which is what we discussed which is which I understand my problem with this particular instance and all other instances is any use since I've been here and that's only 10 years so that's just from a rookie right um any use of town property in a town of man in my time as a select board member has come through this board for approval in permission this food truck or any other food truck that wants to operate on town-owned land should come through this board for permission and approval period that's the first time second thing is it's very clear that this food truck has quite a few of our um long-term passionate productive um and very generous business owners in town very distraught over what's going on without you know and you know we only found out about this last Thursday which at the same time you found out about it so and that in itself is problematic for the five of us I think that we you know we were unaware and so were you that these questions were flying at us left and right that's just can't happen number one but number two um if you told me that someone had a food truck and they were in a parking space I would say yeah we've got to figure out a way to get through this this is three parking spaces he's got a spot for his truck which is a couple feet into the first parking space which kind of almost four and then his truck then he's got a gap between that and his pickup truck with clones all around everything so I do know that they're his Vehicles so we're almost using up four parking spaces in front of Maya door window Ray's Bike Shop G's restaurant um you know um Melissa Imperials law practice that can't happen in a small town like mayard where parking is always at such a premium and always it's a concern and I you know I don't I don't know what the answer is as to here to tell the person to go with his food truck because if you move him anywhere you're moving them closer to the restaurants that he's the very restaurants that are here tonight to tell us that they you know they they're feeling a pinch or they they're sensing a a a Slowdown in their business because of this now whether they are or they not I don't know but I'm I'm just overly concerned with the fact that you know someone has just shown up and they taking three parking spaces in a busy intersection where there are businesses that you know use those parking spaces on a daily basis and you know GG's right at five o'clock on a on a Tuesday night or Friday night which is a two nights he's there he's only there two days a week as far as I understand based on his website posting um that's you know Prime Time five o'clock at ggs is when people come people are uncomfortable because of the I don't know what the noise level is I want I go by there and I put my window down because I read her email before I came I didn't hear anything so I don't know what what that means what what what what what kind of mil what kind of noise do a grass gr make I'm sure there's actually a fan to you know to take the smoke out of the truck and to keep the person pool but but whatever you know I I just think that where that is and the way it the way it all played out I just think it's bad location and a bad message to have someone taking up free spocking spaces and having a negative impact on a group of businesses that support everything we do do in town every social event we do every you know uh SBA event we do every um you know chamber event that comes across those five people that get up and talk are there and they're there on Saturdays and they're there on Sundays they were all there last weekend for the taste of mania those are the people I didn't see the food truck contributing to the taste of mania but I saw all those people in their staffs on the on some of their days off you know handing out free samples and giving food to the to the main School I I just think that that needs to be recognized and I think that that would have been question number one from this group Mr Gavin in particular would have asked a question right and the question would have been have you consulted with the local businesses where you intend to operate to find out what their considerations are and what their opinions are of what's about to take place and the fact that this group didn't have an opportunity to ask those questions leaves me with a lot of a lot of um you know question about what happened and why it didn't happen the way it's supposed to happen and there is nobody in this building employed by this community that can sit in either of those two chairs and honestly tell me that they didn't think that the select board should have approved that that that permit for that company to do business in our town own property I'm actually concerned that it's that they're still doing business ont property when I and and I guess it's because we well we haven't met yet so tonight but um I think there were clearly some questions raised over the weekend or last week and you know clearly there were some there were some um conflicting opinions as to how it should have happened but the fact that we hadn't gotten a chance to weigh in on it and now they're still advertising that they're here all week and so how but they haven't come before no one's come before us no one's asking permission and even after we've said that that's what should happen I don't wait wait I I don't want I don't mean I don't mean to interrupt you no but I I will say this in in defense of that thought that something should happen Town Council recommended that we not take that action because we had it in as a board and we haven't we don't have a policy to to put to stand back on and say this policy is in you're in violation of this policy or that policy Town Council said failing this discussion tonight and whatever action we may or may not decide to take tonight Town Council said slow slow the rooll right I mean that's correct I so to be clear we've granted them a food perit so that just allows them to Ser the food but um but we haven't granted them any use of town property permit right um is there anything restricting say the lob stre truck that normally or the let's say the lob truck that goes to ericon or the uh coffee truck that goes to the farmers market both I'm assuming have permission from the the private property owner of the Lots they're using is there anything that would sto them from with their permiss parking spot just as the taco truck has no right so there's the reason it hasn't come to us is that we just don't have policy in place to stop it we haven't all right so I guess this is the first truck that's decided to try it then because the flower truck well the flower truck asked permission and then we also have all of the restaurants that now do extended dining outside dining and that that's a permanent structure that's a different and it's an extension of their premise but it's taking but it's taking up parking spaces and I believe in the beginning of that that the parking authority was was was consulted you know there was a lot of work that needed to be done in order to do that so it yeah I'm just I I'm actually I'm I'm quite floored that this just kind of appeared my my concern if you want to call it that is more and I've been consistent with this for the 16 years that I was this is process and consistent process and we have Greg Rec guys that last Thursday was it when it might have been Wednesday because I think I was in my office I don't know Wednesday it Thursday um when I first became aware of the fact that there was a truck and I saw by accident saw a photograph on some social media but I didn't know where it was I actually I heard I didn't see a photograph I heard I saw a comment about it being this this wonderful thing people were very positive about it it was good it was good news wonderful thing about a truck U being at the corner of Sudbury and Maine so not knowing anything Greg and I were communicating on a totally different topic and I put an add addendum to my email that said oh by the way I've heard about a truck I assume that's on private property because my assumption as being a member of this board for 16 years is that if it's on public property I certainly would know about and I had no clue um so that begs the question and okay so what do we do at this it's there we can we can tonight presumably we can declare a moror but I don't want to do that because we already have a successful private location for I don't want to ruin Ericson's gig oh no you know by putting a moratorium on TR you be putting a moratorium on on Public public properties yeah so if we put a moratorium on public property fine it's not on very specific long as it's not on um on private property but I also don't want to then inflict unwillingly a concern for two events that are coming up in just a few weeks right where they're having food trucks that's true but as long as it's within the um the application so like the be so that's already been approved yeah so similar to the premise of the restaurant to allow them to extend onto and even on those topics we had a discussion here about having you know we approve the use of public property for those events and with knowledge especially with the beer tent that was going to be there and I I think we had discussion on food trucks that were going to be at at those events so what I would suggest then is just throw this out um is that we put a moratorium on food trucks on public property until such time as we have a regulations regulation and I don't want to have it come across as Main and being unfriendly to business because here's a small business coming in when no as Chris addressed first off I'm concerned about is this truck and I'm not casting aspersions on them I don't know the individuals involved but are they are they paying our Our Town meals tax I don't know who's reporting that because it's prepared food it should be just like Market Basket has to pay uh our food tax so does GG's and so does the family de so so should these uh we just need to be consistent it's consistency that is the that is my concern and I don't think there's any consistency here and was out of the ordinary and from my perspective I've always made it clear and if anything is and I understand you may not even known about it when I emailed but it's consistency that is my concern and that anything out of the ordinary the board should be made aware of we had no flow and we start getting angry calls for positive calls I know nothing about and as a member of the board I think I should I also would like um I I don't necessarily think the the economic development committee um should be the committee that puts it together I actually think that it's Town staff that should put that together because it's a town policy um it would be nice to have the parking authority they were operating well when they were opting but Town policy come from I mean you could bu them afterward butly sure that Lisa and team have experience drawing up such policies all right okay so we're all in alignment we need some policy cover information yeah y so I what I would expect whatever iteration first of all look at what other the communities do that are dealing with the situation um I want to double and triple check the the legality of the parking situation there's you know parking across multiple spots right if I just have my car and I park across multiple spots let's say I rent a long limo and park across multiple spots can I really just park in three spots in that stretch if I wanted to that that well that's fair all good questions that's why I check respons and they wer independent of everything else they weren't violating any parking rules not that not they okay that's that's a good check right there um then at some point you have to consider we want to have a Max duration in parking L cross town that raises other enforceability talked about is there a limit on you can't occupy more than one spot with a vehicle or something like that that's how many that's I'm saying that was the first thing I said there's a Max duration all these fing conss and all these we need kind of balance especially if you're put a moratorium as a temporary solution speed versus thoroughness of of the evaluation of the so I you know want to make sure we look at Frozen fonds and look at other communities um what hours are appropriate for a to operator the truck um you know 4 in the morning not something permissable but something normal hours and then the the real kind of element that came to me as I listen to business and speak about what's particularly different there is Food Truck temporary installation they haven't put in the the duration of the investment into the community of at least I assume most of these businesses in annual leas right so if you have a business in there you can assume they're going to be around for on the scale of the year if not much more based on our community you know members and we just don't have that same with the truck and so it starts to raise the questions of you charge an annual fee or something to allow this use and that balances some of the you know still allowing what other communities have enjoyed and clearly are Community enjoys in taco truck but levels the playing field um for you know the individuals who are running a business out of a Rick or Mor establishment that what does a fair structure look like I don't know but it's something that needs to be considered as part of this policy so that's those are those are kind of my Baseline thoughts on starting a policy I don't want to be rashed in putting this in place but I also I don't want it to take forever and have some moratorium that's you know uses the the permanent that should be truly a temporary thing that we see if that's if more T and it looks like will reward right now so let me let me ask about the moror so right now before we make any decision on that there's no no ability for us to remove that uh the truck that has a properly um gone through the health application to get the license for serving safet that's my understanding I checked with Council and police and I I had no grounds okay so it takes our action that understood thank you yeah coms Mike um you been quiet no additional comments I mean I concur with the concerns that have been raised and and I think we need some very thoughtful uh approaches to to how we make sure that this doesn't happen again because I I think the concerns that were raised by the the business owners before are very real and legitimate uh I think we need to to take care of their concerns as soon as we can especially as we we're entering the what like can only presume was a busier season yeah okay um I will make a motion let's let's talk about the language of the moratorium yeah St W just in my opinion I would you're G to impose moreor Rec narly tailoring it because from observations food truck is popular uh I mean you're in the unviable position of getting slammed by both sides there should be a policy in place perhaps the moratorium should just be on use public parking in the downtown over District because that's the most vulnerable uh and in other towns they do have exclusions based on District Hudson does it um Grafton does it Etc so in terms of not being rash and also not appearing completely business unfriendly I think will be a collateral you know damage from this there is a moratorium um maybe keep the more limited to specific area the most but then that would mean they could operate in the residential district so like you could go in a neighborhood yeah but from a business standpoint that doesn't make appreciate abandon ice I can appreciate his point but I but that's fair but I agree consistency and sort of stra so you take we will expedite the development of the policy to get as soon as possible I can't guarantee is the next schedule but that that I understand we talk about this like it will be one of my heart parts and but I appreciate that he didn't give me but I I would say this is not very clear to your point outside of the time where would it go I would say just do a turn just be on some side just clear it up and then what if they par really least at the downtown parking space quick question this serious question um intended was an ice cream truck that runs around town with its music playing have any type of yes so ice cream trucks actually have state reg well has something to do with back s yeah uh so we're not in any way violating tomorrow's GNA be 90 degrees or whatever and if an ice cream truck be in there we're not no actually are so the state if you so I didn't mean to assume but I my my assumption was the moratorium would be on operating a business on town so which which includes the streets so the business could be no I would say first of I don't want to limit the downtown dining program we have by just saying no business on no that's fair but you've already granted this because so maybe say um a mobile business I know this is not easy I understand it's not easy that's why I care about the language so I would say maybe business the truck itself to to Steve's point if we put it in the downtown overlay District you're not going to be worried about the ice cream truck because they're typically not downtown they're enabl us if you limit it to the downtown overlay District you're not talking about locations in an ice cream truck typically travels at least that I know of I don't know if um Jun Hills goes up and down a speed here or not I don't know but um you know I don't think that any ice cream trucks travel up and down Main Street in Mason in in the summer but you know I'm okay with that that thought to put it in the then how do we control if it Parks somewhere we don't want I mean you know's Park they they could park right they could park right Beyond Town Hall 100 feet from where they currently are and they've got the same business I I would think that a conversation with the person would you know resolve the issue say look we have to resolve this issue it's not your issue we're not trying to hurt you we need to resolve this issue give us 60 days and and we'll and we'll you know we'll we'll find a spot and we'll we'll figure out a resolution and part of that resolution is you know you can't just say no to the person and we're not saying no right but we're saying no in in front of Jesus in front of these other places and other people who came in and spoke to us you know so is that so where are we um moreor in the overly District I I'll I'll compromise on that Greg we're leaning towards a moratorium in the overlay District you were just suggesting townwide your opinion only to make because you know as Jus pointed out like I actually I just don't even remember where the boundaries are my head actually seebe where's I think it ends the so in essence you're you you know if you're requiring them to be out no more than 10 unless they a v they could park there you know that's all I'm saying is like I think I just don't want I don't want it to beused and and not a lot of people know where the town is I think it's a good suggestion but if you don't want to see on anywhere you don't want to see it well if we're going if we're going to hold to a if we're going to hold to a specific length of time to get this resolved I I think a townwide thing for a you know that is okay but I don't honestly I don't want to I and I get it because but I don't want to ban ice cream trucks I've been operating in our town for 20 years probably exclude ice cream trucks okay you can exclude yes you can yeah then I then I'm okay with that that that's a better C so long as he gets his b he's good no I'm not looking for I haven't run after an since any other that were accidentally no I'm serious I don't want to accidentally ban anything else consequences that's what we that's what we're talking about anyways I don't have any consequences that's fair but but we didn't know we needed a food Poli I think it's okay to try and then and then we find out that everywhere for so's on on Town property without prior permission correct we've already done that excluding ice cream trucks bus operation I think mobile bus oper you think that they be considered a mobile business they're a mobile food what about like um Mosquito Squad duty calls all those companies respected to food okay I'm okay with that I get I think parking parking spaces are a unique case here and roadside parking are unique here that certainly if somebody were to park in the middle of Park then I'm sure we should have the authority to remove them but for a Comm use parking spot gener in or any Common parking area would be a different different regulation or no regulation so I like idea mobile F right now I don't flower I would say that um try not to get too much in the G areas there's if they remain doors window they have the Anderson truck Parks out front on a regular basis they take up mines technically they are operating a business is he taking a delivery from me fair enough I'm just trying to get away from the some say like can they par there but everybody along Main Street gets deliveries I'm trying to yeah I think I think it's KNE I think you're gonna get slammed was fun because we didn't know about if if it was done if this was if this was done right it would never have been a problem it wasn't done right it's problem so now we we're getting slammed anyway so we might as well fix the problem and again Steph are trying to watch out for the try to make sure that it right I agree that's so so right now I have it as um prohibition on use of T property to operate in food TR without prior permission oh prior thank you I wrote that I didn't say but what did you say without without prior permission that areed that are going to be doing the festivals okay I'm not worried about get obviously you see it up here you're not worried about getting criticized decisions but yeah you know to correct the problem is the right decision whether anybody likes it or not I agree so bring it on as long as we are consistent with what we're doing there's no need to explain anybody because the rule is that that or that business should have come to us first in order to get approval they didn't there's no restriction on them so let's let's let's get to the motion is there a motion did you write a motion I the points again mobile food truck I'm sorry mobile food establishment here's my right move toib the operation of aob on property so moved second is all right I will actually I think you can do that is this is this gonna require um Town Council to review it I mean I'm just taking a view that if if we I I'll speak myself I have have the expertise about the prohibition yeah actually I I test can do it but highly encourages actually getting regulations yeah no so she's gonna do it she's going to draw the regulations yeah yeah yeah that's fine um so now we've had plenty of discussion about this would anybody like to further the discussion before we on the moratorium on mobile food establishments I think to address uh Steve's point I wonder if there's some kind of a a statement that we can make that will help people to understand why we that's the statement that's State that's the statement that we you know and if the statement is we're going to develop a policy to resolve the issue that you know this has created within the community can we add effective immediately only effective it's only effective when we raise our hands and vote Yes or No No but I mean so they're they're scheduled to be downtown mayard this week Friday they were there today um like downtown downtown but are they going to be there or are they goingon to be in the back parking because they're going hry to is what I saw and it was like 52a Main Street but that's if they're on ammer T property in thek but are they sched to be parking lot they sched to be out front in the parking spaces I don't know then they don't have to tell us they will have to figure that out we're putting a moratorium on on public space eff um all know we could have allowed them to continue to operate while we put tools in place so that's our choice to me I I think in doubt between the two weighing in on the side of the long established count businesses is the right thing to do for the temporary portion be figure out what the best policy is for the law and as an aside I'd like to also learn how these businesses uh effectively calculate and Report the meals tax they are paying back they they they have to they do monthly submissions to do so they say when they're in xtown and they pay the excise tax that so they're doing that they're that they're doing that I thinkal license regulations like note that they do have to be inin with all state regulations okay be clear in this case as far as I understand they're fully compliant with all state local laws and regulation right y they've done nothing wrong I don't think they've done anything wrong they have not done anything wrong to be honest who second just um okay all those in favor of this temporary moratorium while we straighten out the regulations all right summer summer 2024 schedule um we were thinking of moving the meeting July 9th um that has that presents a um Conflict for Chef so if um so if um I don't doesn't matter to me either way I was okay with the ninth I'm okay with the second does anybody have a problem with the second I I will be on vacation myself actually so I don't recall the exact words of my contract the word board that I may not yeah you country be me love Zoom OD Zoom so can you be a second I might be able to make it oh you won't be here she's done she won't be here for that one but all right all right so I mean that's fine we can do the second by zo that was just a suggestion based on vacation but we can get um cover we can we can figure out how we get the rest but Jeff will not be here for the 9th and the 16th and we have um we'll have I like to I'd like to suggest because there is there is a vacation that the agenda remain very very light only the most um necessary of things which is the reorganization of the board and a couple other procedural things and that's it for that agenda get everybody on the phone get it done and get out on the second on the second so the schedule remain unchanged thank you thank you so 2 16th which you won't be here for but we'll reorganize the board on the second and then we'll go to the 16th and you know whatever whatever is done is done for the 16th but that's do everyone okay with that yes so there are no changes see everybody July 7 except for you I I'm on vacation too that week but I would likely let's can through Zoom or okay I'll make um the second is what a Tuesday Tuesday yes would it be tonight we I know that I know that I'm just thinking a lot is it is would anybody would anybody I mean to get it out of the way get it off the schedule would anybody want to do it the first just do July 1 and get it done so then you have the second third four you know leading into the hallay type of thing it's up that's up to that's up to everybody but you know maybe just some of the some of the agation whatever I would the first because my wife just said to me saying I can't second but um Stephanie had vacation plans well ahead so first wife first I mean is that is that okay get the first night July 1 get it out of the way everybody has the rest of the week to not worry about it he's good all right so so just just um Greg Greg can you guys just make sure we are we're adequately reminded because we getting older we forget okay so it'll be July 1 that that's great we'll do the reorganization on July 1 and then we'll see each other again on the 16th okay all right thank you thanks for bringing that to our attention all that all the way back and forth Greg for Lu somebody uh not by Lind officially um so U the budget joint planning meeting June 11th which you will be at Justine um the last one of those you're gonna have to go to um by choice not by choice I'm I'm okay with what what suggested I I I kind of you know um the time the time what is the place going to be all so by well actually I would like the board's Direction on that during the budget sub it was um consider from fire station and hybrid is that corre yes fire station hybrid encouraging person attendance recognizing that many people yeah that's that's that's fine with me too and I think I think that um chair of the the fincom weigh in on the same thing so that's fine um I you know what what so I see all this information of what potential topics could be and everything else I what's the agenda there's an open discussion and I I think maybe a couple you know potential topics um operational planning and capital planning those two but then once once the um we open the floor to a general discussion I think it becomes for lack of a better term a little bit of a a free-for-all with everybody with different opinions and different thoughts and and other things I don't like I'm looking at some of the individual topics health insurance road side Capital expenses storm water the deputy fire position again Senior Center leasing salaries all that stuff I mean I don't that I don't know that any of that stuff is going to be ready to be presented and it is it appropriate to present it to all three or four groups at four groups at once yeah or those just items that are we know that are out there yeah that's what it is or or I think I thought right I thought you know the um the last at the bottom the debt exclusion considerations so one and two the top and the dead exclusion considerations I thought those were the the three main items and all the stuff in in the in the middle I get but those are the other those are the real um mean of the the problem I think to be perfectly honest I think there's um any number of people coming from different um branches of our local government that all they want to talk about is the de exclusion yes which you were thought de exclusion was coming presumably in the fall with the school with the leachers then override is going to be at the talk because we need additional money and run the operation town you know yeah yeah that's that's and that's where the conversation is going to go so at the bud no go go no at the budget subcommittee U meeting Capital planning um I clearly indicated the the both the desire and understanding that this was mainly primarily or perhaps even exclusively meant to be about um capital or at least a focal point of that meeting um and I believe they said they had prepared a presentation that was 15 20 minutes for yeah which was what what theying they were hoping to present that I think and have a conversation about Capital solely school committee would like to talk about an operational override for next year um not not unexpected there um and what I would like to do is present on the pure Community analysis that I presented to the budget subcommittee meeting back in February it certainly touches on both operational uh and debt exclusions um and kind of the status of the town when we look at benchmark communi point uh school committee was very much against that is that focused on issues so it it has both Town side and school side it does have a bit more on schools because there's more publicly available that on the schools and schools represent two3 of budget I don't know what the direction of your presentation might be but given the schools are the one that are looking for an operational over probably best focus on I so I give that presentation or depending on dire this what's that I think I've given it in around 15 minutes Stephanie Greg you both see me give that presentation um maybe first get fine just don't do inj in time I will not pointed in Focus I can I can I can point in Focus so let's say it takes half an hour and I can cut it down if we decide to do that I think that I think that makes sense questioning presentation so let me interrupt for one second being that you're a part of the budget subcommittee obviously Jeff as why don't you guys create the agenda for this as opposed to as opposed to those of us who don't you guys have you guys are deal it and the full budg budget we're in disagreement budg well well at the end of at the end of the day it's our meeting it's it like we we we are the body that's going to um we're inv you know we're inviting others to attend the meeting we're going to we're going to we're going to bring our G and control the meeting as far as the discussion we had and that was okay with and that was how approaching subte and then there was some back and for well so so make an agenda and if these topics that you know we don't we as the this board we don't feel should be there we'll we'll adjust the point here here's but I don't want to like I don't want to heavy hand them but my three sense is going to be that very rarely does anybody here from the select speak so in any of these things typically so the Town Administrator speaks like for the budget for the budget meeting and then Capital planning speaks and then the schools speak but our voice never really seems to get heard so I do think it's important for you to present the the comparative communities and maybe a little bit of something that was in the select board message to town meeting vs just so that can be part of the conversation because I think absent that we're not part of the conversation that makes sense well I think I think through nobody's fault or anything else I think every time every time we have those meetings it gets hijacked by a general discussion and then we're usually the last to weigh in and we right often times don't get to weigh in because the clock sends us home but yeah is it going to be a um another thing we I think we should consider is a a a drop dead time we you going to start at this time we're going to end it that time and what we get done in that a moment time and that's what the meeting is I I always encourage that but you have to be clear about that when you start the Mee well I I will but I think that that should be on the agenda as well start talking with the agenda I I'll do the agenda with you but I just thought these guys have had conversations about what they'd like to have this conversation be I don't necessarily have preset opinions on what I'd like it to be I know what I'd like it not to be I'd like it not to be a free-for-all with you know um people that go to one meeting a year standing up and telling us what we're doing wrong you know I I don't think it needs to be a meeting that includes public comments to be perfectly honest it's a meeting among four four boards and um if there's public comment to be made the public comment could be made at the next meeting of the school committee or the fincom or the select board or Capital planning commun I don't think this this particular meeting is a place for public comments did you get your presentation because here's here's I I've been sitting in on other meetings lately and especially when there's a lot of topics that need to get done they do put a pretty strict time limit on it so would it be something could you do something in 15 like if Capital planning can do 15 minutes yeah and you can do 15 15 minutes and schools can be 15 minutes that would at least I can I can it would hold anytime we want us accountable for so why so so we have four groups we have us we have fincom we have the school committee and the capital planning Comm at your suggestion take your suggestion make that part of the agenda and say at the beginning of the meeting each board through whichever representative you want you have 15 minutes to make a presentation you're choosing and go from there I'm okay with that um I might give a little extra Capital first time we joined that was the originator of that they did say I think up to 20 minutes so I might might Advocate to give them just a bit more I will I will leave my egg timer at home all right I think I think that's clever and I um both you're trying to establish balance among the four the four boards uh and that that could work I can think about some of the timing things because you're not just talking about the Pres station I presume you're also trying to include certain questions back well you know just go capital and then all right you're done talking it's been Fin and then I presume that there is question but but I think I think but I think that if we take this suggestion and do it that way right I think when we get to um the point in the meeting where the last of the four um groups has made their presentation ation I think that that will give us as we move into the conversation discussion phase I think through those four presentations I don't think there's many of the items included in capital planning operating operational budget planning debt exclusion considerations override considerations the Green Middle School the bleaches in the DPW yard and garage I don't think there's any of those topics that will not have been touched on yeah and leading into the conversation which maybe the conversation Fs in Middle a little more naturally after each group has kind of had their say rather than trying to get your say in during an open conversation which is what we typically have is the purpose of this meeting clearly delim originally was just as a little context um in my understanding the The Joint riew Town Charter dictated we had it in there was a consensus the bodies there wasn't quite enough time giving to particularly Capital so the idea was okay Capital planning come back to us a time after time that you can kind of f so since then Capital plan comme has taken that task theyel and they're ready to go and then then I was trying to get feedback from the chairs about what we're going to talk about and there was some uh requests for consideration of Beyond capit get job specifically as d to Central and then kind of so originally it was more or less continuance of the joint joint buget particularly to give time to C especially considering bleachers water SE stuff yeah just yeah to to avoid the kind of situation CH that you're wor about the you know things devolving into a bit of a free think that's just going to take some very care Focus that's not always easy to do if I were to put it into one sentence I would say there's multiple fiscal requests and demands on the town and we need to find a way to prioritize and evaluate and Stage them just a way of keeping people on task it's in the limited time that we have so so I that's just become that's become just over the history of having these meetings for the last several years one or two a year it's it's been difficult to keep all of us on that focused road because there's there are so many there's so many different groups and so many different wants and so many different areas of of conversation that come up that we sometimes don't stay on on on path but maybe we we try this way where we actually request a president presentation from each group because we've never done that different people have put stuff on the screen and everything else but if we request a presentation you know and I guess between now and I next week or whatever next time meet I think the conversation has to be kind of uh well W be the week before what what should those presentations what do we expect out of those presentations so I don't know that the fincom was necessarily preparing a presentation so they that that might they may or may not decide to I'm not even convinced the school committee Was preparing a presentation they simply wanted to discuss an over I will note that one request of the school committee was um I believe from with fin comment from myself was to be more quantitative over what look like and start put some specific numbers certainly one one ask that came on place so we're looking for um we're looking for each group to provide you know their um their version or their their requests or or wants for the long-term capital planning in the town is it as it relates to their as it relates to their their long-term planning discussions their their own group decision and and fincom has to have that they just you know I mean all the work that um B all that coup years ago so yes you did just need two people corre correct but you can find it onine don't don't so I love conversation here's what I'm gathering in the past Jo review agenda we have said as simply as perspective of perspective of um phisical conditions and plan perspective of capital capital actually I need like some dire Y what order would you like Capal planning committee first then who s then rap up committee I I would think that we would go last go last we'll go last okay we'll open the meeting you know open a meeting with a statement about what what the expectation is time you know um all that and then request request a presentation on you know the long the long what what is your long-term thinking what is your long range thoughts and wants and read I think I I think I gotta okay I'll share it with the chairs okay and share it with the um share it also with the um budget subc commune please because their input is you know specific to it I don't believe I got yeah okay time to minut this ought to be a great one oh go ahead off I app everyone's supportor great um I had the privilege of sitting in on the high school seniors final project presentations always again about theity courage so agress great be there U Memorial Day is on Monday I'm very much looking forward to it and um and I will be at the M Municipal man conf then and then oh the police are starting their annual Youth Academy Su the end of July I and it's a nice hot time for that's all I no that's no questions for me see with the Ws um don't forget the parade on Monday parade yeah the parade and I will not be there for the parade next Monday I don't think and Mr Gavin is going to speak on our behalf as he typically does in Memorial and always does a fantastic job so thank you for that David and I don't have anything as far as that I was going to talk about whatever I was going to talk about was about during the meeting um so now we're at the board member reports Mike uh just to follow on from what Greg said about the the high school senior project day I had the opportunity to join them um and in particular we saw two presentations about uh response to mental health care for people being through Co students being through Co and and that was both fascinating I me having been a a teacher myself for 30 years um it was just heartwarming to see another generation of kids addressing topics with seriousness and intelligence and appreciation for that recognizing that the this is our future sure so thank you to them all right David yeah just congratulations to the MEF on their event from Sunday you know I'd love for it to be inside again just I I I I I hadn't felt that way before Sunday and after Sunday I I felt boy it was it was a much easier event to enjoy and participate when it was in one spot yeah it was much more social rather than just walking around I I think part of the problem in it's a good problem to have I think they've outgrown the El and I think that's the problem they've outgrown that space so I don't know where else it would be but yeah it's it's it's kind of tough to have conversations with people and and other things when you're walking up and down Main Street and and by the way the street isn't close so there's you know you got kids and traffic and it just it just it was fun and it was but it just it just seemed to be a little more um a little bigger and a little more difficult to maneuver than it was in the past so maybe we'll maybe that's something they'll they'll pick up on and address but yeah but I'm sorry to interrupt yeah so congratulations to them it was a nice event and fun um The Garden Club had their annual sale on Saturday which um it's really amazing how much they put together how much you know it's like it's like going to place in CET a shop for plants uh really good um another social event well attended when I was there although the rain started shortly after I probably brought it um and U so but anyway good to see community events going on that people participating in and I hope the town turns out as it always does from theor just tonight thank you that thank you Jeff I covered all the budget subcommittee and the previous discussion I also had a chance to enjoy the taste of motion um just kind of reflecting on that another event that went from out said inside was the jazz festival last year due to rain I think there there's a pro and con but there's just from people in the room there's an energy that's not there going spread out but then you don't showcase the downtown as much either so I think there's a there's pros and cons that but um regardless I enjoyed the tast motion was good to see everybody there I'm glad the rain held out and got taste a lot of yeah all right um as Jerry culbert likes to say I'll entertain a motion motion second all those in favor see you guys on um June something