00:07:12,300	Just, making sure he’s on HWC ready. Good. All right. Welcome everybody to our Monday April 1st Select board meeting. This time I’ll call to order it. 7:07 p.m.. Welcome everybody online and in person. Uh, we have a handful of boarding committee openings, Uh, one opening on the Community Preservation Committee.

00:07:38,930	Uh, two openings on the Conservation Commission. Uh, to associate openings on the council on Aging. One associate opening on the Finance advisory Committee. Uh, the historic District Commission has a few openings. Two openings for Three year terms two openings for two year terms.

00:07:57,130	Uh, one of those two year terms, will see a resident of the historic district and the other must be a resident Realtor in town. One opening on the Human Rights Commission one associate opening of the Planning board and one associate opening on the zoning Board of Appeals. Uh And at this time.

00:08:12,800	We have, uh, three minutes on for topics not already on the agenda tonight for public comment. Uh, if you’re here, you can come to the podium. Uh, if you’re at home on zoom, you can raise your hand and we’ll we’ll acknowledge you. Hello. My name is Jean Morant and I’m chair of the HE, IC Hamilton and Ram Impact Committee.

00:08:39,370	Uh, the committee met, Uh, recently and Came up with some ideas about the artificial turf. That’s a big topic in town and, um, sent you letters. Uh, is there anyone that receive that No and Gene. We’ve got a copy. I think everybody’s got one in here, but thank you. We’ve got things So.

00:09:03,630	Um, we wanted to address the areas that we felt that our committee was, uh, commissioned to look at and, um That is basically If. We go back to the beginning, codify the town of Hamilton’s commitment to reducing our overall environmental impact. Support the work towards our net zero carbon energy goal. Also reducing our consumption of plastic.

00:09:32,200	So, uh, with some, um Review and consideration and looking at details. Uh, we Have determined that if we do put in 5.5 acres of artificial turf, um considering that what it takes to create the turf to begin with, and the fact that we are replacing grass, which would be absorbing CO2 that, uh, the resulting carbon footprint

00:09:56,200	Could be approximately 200 tons over a 10 year period. Um and, uh, someone did some calculations to see that we’d have to plant 2013 trees to offset the carbon footprint of that artificial turf.

00:10:19,130	So these numbers Uh, you know, they may seem a little Uh, high, but I think we have to realize that every time we pray, we place natural materials with something artificial that we are going backwards. And. That’s, uh, not where Hamilton wants to go. We. Wanna be net zero carbon by 2040. So that’s uh, one of the issues.

00:10:40,400	Uh, another is the amount of plastic that’s used in the construction of this, um not to mention that these little plastic things break off and we’ll be spread around, but, uh, to create this plastic We have numbers of 2.7 million plastic bags in equivalent. Now.

00:10:59,730	Why use that as an equivalent Hamilton banned plastic bags, so we want to keep that in perspective. There’s a reason we banned them. And, um, replace them with Natural materials or use your own. Uh, so again, the last one we, of course, was talking about the shedding of the Microplastics, which will go into the environment, possibly into streams and rivers and All over town.

00:11:25,530	Basically, so these are things that we have to consider, as we’re looking at these artificial fields, and another issue is what we call Heat Islands if anyone’s ever stood on artificial turf on a hot day, you can feel that heat coming up through your shoes.

00:11:46,730	Um, and it creates, uh and again another environmental issue with the Heat islands, holding the heat in rather than the grass that’s going to dissipate and and allow the heat to To go, Um and transpire, you know through normal, Um The life of grass as you know, because it’s also giving off oxygen as well, too. So we wanna realize that you’re creating something that’s hot, and it’s dangerous.

00:12:07,000	You know not to go to the health Department but an issue for students, but also it’s It’s just Yeah. It’s going backwards. It’s not getting the CO2 out there. It’s not taken away. It’s not putting out the 02. It’s just creating another environmental issue. So.

00:12:26,200	Those are the three issues that we looked at as a As a committee that we wanted, uh, to alert you to and that we were also in favor of the articles that are going to be presented, especially the moratorium, which would give us more time to think about artificial.

00:12:45,630	And the last thing and we did not discuss this at the meeting, so I present this as a as a citizen. Um The UU, Mass Lowell has, uh Tori TUR I and you may already be familiar with this toxic Use Reduction Institute at U, Mass Lowell and they have all kinds of materials.

00:13:10,100	Um, and case studies, uh, specifically looking at Marblehead Springfield Martha’s Vineyard, where they have gone to, um, organic Grass with frequent aeration, mowing, soil testing, organic fertilizers and soil amendments, and one thing jumped out at me. They need a lot of compost to keep these.

00:13:32,400	Uh uh, microbes happy down there with the longer root system and all these, uh, different methods to have, uh, playable field and I do think we have compost in Hamilton. So. That might be a consideration. So. Um, can I give this to you, Caroline, Of course. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Thank you very much for listening. Thank you. It holds in 419. Highland Street.

00:13:57,000	Just wanted to clarify that if you go to the polls in a couple of weeks, you’ll see my name on both, Uh, the planning Board and select board. Uh um, application But. If you’re going to vote for me. I. Just. Wanna clarify. Please vote for me for select board, not for planning board. Thank you. School committee, though.

00:14:09,800	Yeah. Thanks, Bill. Um, just before we get on to our Kent agenda. Regular agenda just kind of a public service announcement in your water bills. You may have seen something that looks like this with a QR code on it about checking out your waterline for lead and copper. If.

00:14:27,400	You haven’t done this yet. I’m one of those people that procrastinate until about a week ago. Um so But do this. This will help our water department out. Take inventory of our of our pipes and stuff like that and help you stay safer in Hamilton so please And, Take a look at this.

00:14:40,900	And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you can call the, uh TPW or the water department. They’ll steer you in the right direction. We’re required by the state, um, to check out all the lead. The service lines and make sure we get them out.

00:14:53,770	So we need you to help us do that so that we can Comply with the state requirement. All, right. Thank you on our consent agenda. Yet that you gonna come out? Sorry. I didn’t see you looking anxious there. Uh, hi. Uh, Tosh Blake Sagamore Street.

00:15:16,370	Uh, first, I’d like to make a comment about the recent, uh, elementary school building project presentation that was held at the high school last week. And I. Wanna thank uh, the town manager Joe for putting out the kind of a robocall letting people know I was unaware it was it was gonna going to happen, and, um, it wasn’t on the town website. I believe so I.

00:15:30,470	Think in the future, if it anything with the school, maybe could coordinate with the superintendent and the other town manager I’m trying to do? Yeah. Yeah. No. It’s great because I appreciate what you did that call I sent out at the wrong time, too. So I apologize. Oh OK, it worked for me. It worked for me, I.

00:15:43,200	I did an effort to be health care transparent and I messed it up, so I apologize. Well, it worked for me and I’m Glad you did it, So. That was good. Um And just sort of related to that because there’s some issues that are brought up at that meeting, but related to something, I, I think, uh, Bill Wilson brought

00:15:57,630	but a, uh, February 22nd Select board meeting for future business is the issue of the M BT a zoning and bringing I guess four more to the public and have some discussion about because there is a timeline there coming up.

00:16:13,100	Um, I believe in the fall for I don’t know if it’s a select board or select board in conjunction with other boards have to submit some kind of either decision on that or something, And I think some public input and maybe special meeting Might be Uh, necessary for that. I’m Not? Sure, but we’re so thank you Give me an opportunity for PS. A, Um, one of the articles on the warrant.

00:16:27,730	This. Here is a request for 100 and $25,000 in free cash so we can hire some consultants to help us actually put together the M BT a zoning for the town of Hamilton, Uh and, uh, that will be a very public process. That’s why we’re asking for outside consultants so that we can do good community outreach.

00:16:42,800	Get. A lot of people participate, so I’ll write down your name. Toss that you want to be con con contacted for all future public about the M BT a zoning. And. Uh, we’ll make sure we we let you know. All right. Thank you and I do think in a AAA future Select board meeting.

00:16:59,000	We’re gonna have a deep dive and just bring out everything we know about it. All right? Great. Thanks. John before you get to, uh, we don’t have the, uh, there wasn’t like an update for Like I was gonna do that next.

00:17:11,870	OK, But, um, you just wanted to say we want to recognize that Sean is been doing this for nine years. This is the last meeting. Uh so we wanted to thank him. So I. I wrote a little, uh, letter of appreciation that Sean was gonna read it real quick here because I’ve got served with them for a six years on the board.

00:17:29,630	Uh, An everybody I want to take a moment tonight to recognize Sean Farrell. We have also represented today on our high fashion apparel. He’s a man who cares deeply in the community. He lives as evident every day as he gives and gives and gives.

00:17:47,230	You spent the last nine years volunteering on the select board, not an easy task to navigate all the challenges and still be adored. He had no he had some big. We had some big successes that he worked hard to accomplish the latest being saving town hall so we don’t have to demolish.

00:18:04,470	He has helped our schools, town properties, budgets and taxes as the first convince our citizens to put away their pitchforks and axes. We thank Sean for taking the time away from his boys and his wife, with the end result being a better Hamilton and for us a better life.

00:18:19,670	Sean is a great teacher while being patient, creative and artistic, always bringing ideas and solutions that are impactful yet realistic. He is never afraid to be the first to raise his hand and do the work as his presence is appreciated by all by all from town manager to town clerk We Hope Sean stays involved in town as we will always need his support that we should always live by his

00:18:35,200	mantra that life is not a spectator sport. Thank you as well. Awesome. Uh, before we move on the consent agenda. Let’s talk any selectman reports if anybody has anything to share You. Wanna talk about me some more. That’s fine too.

00:18:57,730	I could talk about you all I know a little bit or you didn’t write that book, though. It’s coming. It’s now that I have all this time we told so he couldn’t retire until there was a book of everything. He knew that we didn’t And not to make anybody anxious, but he did not write that book. So. We’ll see.

00:19:11,500	I can do it all my free time Now. I did want to ask the I know we’re still technically well, we’re not technically still in winter. We’re now in spring, um The painting of the downtown parking is that Slated for April ish. Yes. Well this spring time? Yes spring not to be that person.

00:19:32,300	I’m not gonna say April and then it’s like May 1st, and you’re mad, So. It’s It’s a spring It’s coming Get mad, so I don’t know where that came from. Uh, yeah, I was just wondering. Thanks. Bill. Anything for you reports.

00:19:48,800	I just a, um The Master Steering Committee is, you know coming to closure of our recommendation that will next step, go to the planning board to get adopted. We should do that by, uh, the middle of this month. We have I I hopefully or I Think our last meeting, Uh, mid April, so we’ll bring it back to this board once that’s completed, but we’ll hand it off to the planning board.

00:20:03,930	That’s great news. Been a long time coming Nothing for me. Um It’s in the town manager for you, You’ll all get it Friday. That’s all right. Uh, actually, II. I will say one thing. So.

00:20:21,300	Uh, you all know that one of the first things that the town, Uh, select board asked me to do when I got here was that start to find ways to solve our long term water supply problem. Uh, a lot of that has involved looking at partnerships in regionalization. So I’ve been a part of the North Shore Water resiliency Task force for a number of years.

00:20:35,470	We, uh, just succeeded in getting $232,000 Grant to start to look at, uh, a connection between Hamilton and Wenham and the Salem Beverly Water supply board, so they’ll that that grant money will build will design permit and, uh, start to pull together the ability for us to connect to Hamilton, Uh, to connect to

00:20:52,370	sale Beverly Water Supply board, at least in the short term for backup, water supply and and emer. Situations but hopefully in in the long run a more permanent connection so that we can stop drawing our own water and and start buying it so that we’re we’re working on it. It’s just a long process.

00:21:08,030	That’s great. All right Consent agenda. We have two items. First up is a prove a banner for clean energy fair. Uh, on the banner Ra on Bay Road by the CO A and then improve minutes of March 4th 2024 Select board meeting. I just have a quick revision to the, uh, minutes on March 4th.

00:21:30,730	So under article 2-3 it references their regional school district budget, but it should also reference the general town appropriations budget. Okay? You got that show. I. Don’t. I’ll get it from OK, but it’ll be in the minutes too. So So. Then, I’ll. I’ll kinda modify.

00:21:50,500	Uh so we’re looking at approving the Edited minutes of March 4th 2024 Select board meeting. Anyway I make a motion for both of those. I move that we approve the consent agenda. Contingent upon edits Requested by Tom Myers to the march 4th minutes Perfect. Alright all those in favor say Aye, A. Thank you everyone, I have it.

00:22:10,270	All right onto our agenda. Uh, up first we have our illustrious police chief in the building. I think He’s going to remind us that is the wonderful month of April and Autism Awareness Month. Thank you, Sean. I. Appreciate it, Mr.

00:22:26,800	Chairman Thank you for having me here today just as a reminder for everyone. Everyone at home. Everyone here, Uh, April was autism Awareness month and at the Hamilton PD will be kicking off autism awareness. All the officers will be wearing their autism awareness bands, it says autism makes the difference. Be the difference. Excuse me, you you You Get fined If You don’t wear these Thanks, Chief.

00:22:47,000	Just find not arrested for OK. And if you look at it, the blue bands kind of match the blue sky and the shirts that you’re all wearing right now, um, also for the officers uniforms, they will have insignias that have autism on it. So we we were.

00:23:04,370	We were a caller brass we call it ours is will be wearing that for the month and cruiser seal, so we also have insignias or seals that magnetic seals that Joe Aina Sergeant achin designed that are going on the cruises as well. And. The big thing is will be our third Ann.

00:23:19,670	Fundraiser working with five sons, and they donate 20% of everything you order after four o’clock gets donated, and Hamilton police went in police Hamilton fire, Wham fire will be delivering to the two towns again. We always do it on the Tuesday. Um we’re gonna do it on Tuesday the 30th.

00:23:36,270	You can bring it to me, Steve. Um Thanks. So this is what’s what goes on the cruise. Is that Joe designed, Um Joe adini. If. People don’t know He’s very passionate about autism. His son has autism, and he’s he. He steers this whole thing.

00:23:57,030	So a big A Big shout out goes to Joe for everything he does for this because this is his baby and he’s he’s hot to trot on and he stays very passionate about it. So on the on, uh, on our Flyers. Sure thing on the Flyers. It’s gonna have the dates.

00:24:15,400	We’ll have that on the website, and we’ll make sure they’re on the town website as well as we’ll put them on the Hamilton PD website. So everything after four o’clock that you order will be.

00:24:31,730	In fact 20% will go towards, uh, special education, and it went to a special ed department, so I just wanna follow up a little bit about what they did with the money this year, which was really great on March 20th. They used the money to bring in Kerry Margo as a guest speaker to address the students and faculty.

00:24:47,200	At, the high school and he had the high school and middle school and with all the faculty that came there, and I went there and sat in on on the session itself and carry holds a doctor in educational technology leadership and his award winning national speaker as well as a best selling author. And. What makes it interesting is at 2.5 years old. He was nonverbal at four years old.

00:25:04,570	He was diagnosed with autism and to listen to him speak, overcome the adversities that were faced in front of him was was really was really something to listen to that and what I like about that is Um they use the money that the that the communities we were able to get from that 20% by selling the pizzas and so forth. The other reason the real reason not the real reason.

00:25:19,900	One of the special reasons I like to do on a Tuesday is because that’s when Joe works late, and he buys pizza for everyone in the town hall and the last thing before I get out of your hair is, uh, Sean.

00:25:33,670	I personally like to thank you nine years working with you on projects and things to TI. I really enjoyed working with you with the rest of the world Nine Years is a long time We’ve been So. Thank you very much for your time and your service to the town. Much appreciated. Thank you appreciate you as well. Take care, folks.

00:25:47,670	Thank you, thank you. It’s good to see you again. People don’t know when I first started 16 years ago in September will be 16 years. It was a three person board and bill was one of the ones that hired me. Bill did, Um Bill, Dave, Carey and Jen.

00:26:01,770	So there is a three person board at the time. It’s good to see you, Bill. All. Right. Thank you, chief. All right up next we have, uh, approve request for the use of Patent Park for the annual block party. June 22nd 2024. In a vote on that. This is our annual Block party. I move that we approve.

00:26:30,770	Uh, the request for the annual block party at Patton Park on June 22nd. 2nd 2nd all those in favor. If there’s no discussion. I doubt there is Aye, aye. Moving right along.

00:26:51,670	UH, review town meeting script and vote to finalize with our town manager will bring it up for us to look at. I You’re not I can’t. 12. I moved my I So. You, uh, in your package was a copy of the script as drafted by town Council. Uh, a lot of it’s filled in what we are we we go through things. Some things here will get filled inside some things won’t I. Just.

00:27:16,230	Wanna make sure the select board has a chance to vote on who The movers will be, um I mean fast forward down here a little bit. While. You’re doing that, Joe, Mister bowler Since. You’re here tonight. I’m reading your opening. Comment slash script. And.

00:27:37,530	You mentioned people bringing their copy of the warrant. You may mention this hate copy instead of their copy that we send them because we don’t send them a copy anymore. Minor change, but I don’t know if you wanna re jigger.

00:27:55,370	Some of that, or But they’ll be copies they’ll be copies available and maybe you can just mention there’s copies available, which most people already know. But They don’t have one to bring with them unless they printed it out. And with our cell phone service at the high school, they may not be able to look at it on there device. So.

00:28:12,270	Um, article 1-2 is an article for reports. Um, I don’t know if Mr B is going to entertain any reports or if there are any committees that have asked to do reports at the meeting, so this is currently blank. Mister bowler. Would You entertain a report for me. Uh, yes, I’ll be brief. Motion.

00:28:27,200	Sure. So. If you wanna fill that? I mean when you’re ready, Joe? Hm? Right and then, uh, 1-3 articles for consent motion. I’ll make that one too. If. You don’t mind I. I like a efficient meeting. For me. Is that OK with everybody else. Um, waging classification. I think Um Do. We miss.

00:28:59,670	If anything’s held. I can do it. You’ll do the held and I think Christina was gonna do the I think John you put in Christine, I think OK? Oh, Christine is gonna move it.

00:29:18,930	Yeah He’s got you’ve got the kind of it’s kind of prefilled with F income’s request, and we can always change whatever, but it’s I’m fine with that, if everybody else is The the one I have here doesn’t have as but mine doesn’t That’s weird, the one in the packet does OK? Apologize for that, Um Prior bills. We don’t have any right now. We don’t have any So So. You just spent move to pass over. Just. Move the pass. How.

00:29:39,300	Do. We do that procedurally. Mr Polo. Do. You need somebody to Um, make that motion or Uh, he’s gonna say I. Don’t think we’ve ever done that, but you make a motion them pass over it. Yeah.

00:30:00,000	Yeah So says this, says moderator hearing no motion I will move to I will move down next to that. Three. OK, let’s do that. Yeah. It says right there. Yeah. Yeah, it says it says it right in it. Moderator reads hearing no motion. I will move to article 2-30. Yeah, I See it, all right. Uh, General Town department appropriations 2-3.

00:30:21,470	Uh, Harry would do this one if nobody else wants to. And I will fill in the the These numbers will get filled in, Um Right for the For the moderator, uh and myself, You know where else to read. Everybody fine with Harry doing that one? Yep, OK. Uh 2-4 capital expenditures. Joe, McGrath McGrath. Fine with that.

00:30:45,370	In it and at that point Part of that. Way they slide. The Matrix kind of thing. Yeah. The Matrix. As part of that. Capital expenditures. What one It was also been Of the full Uh, capital for the next seven years.

00:31:14,800	So, so to be the slide that we have created the appendix, whatever the whatever it is, And, then your, um your slide as well. Your future cast right? That’s that was the So I was At that final slide to you and Operator. Similar to what Last year. That’s the one You’ve emailed me, right? Yeah, we We got it.

00:31:35,100	So we have, um Yeah just if you can be real clear that you’re not asking people to vote on the whole $200 million worth of stuff that you’re forecasting. We’re just asking for the 1.3. If you wanna do it in the new airport? Let’s do in the beginning that way, it’s not confusing. That would be helpful. Let’s do that.

00:31:50,730	As people may get shell shocked from that. So two reports one from the select Board chair and one from the fin com chair as well. You’re good, OK, but I like it all right. Yeah, that’s cleaner. Thank you. All, right. So John. I move that one. Um 2-5 water enterprise budget that’s on consent.

00:32:15,130	God damn it! OK and John. You’ll talk to that one if it gets held 26 annual financial actions. I’m privilege that unless anybody else that’s that’s in consent. It’s in consent if it gets held Big Health? Yeah two Sevens. Also two sevens. Same thing if it’s held John Page can speak to that one. Uh, is consent.

00:32:41,300	John can speak with 29 Stabilization Fund. Uh, Christina can read that one. Unless somebody else wants to Only if you tell me to are you gonna be here? I’ll be there. All right. I’m watching this board meeting. Um 2-10 Capital Stabilization Fund. Uh, Christina again. She’s having all the fun. Much. Um Town Center Comprehensive Plan.

00:33:17,170	Uh, John page read that unless anybody wants to My thought, is that Should come from someone. Select That would be my I was thinking the same thing. When I read over. I. Think John’s fine doing it, but It’s more of a A and has the school side. Do.

00:33:39,400	You want to speak to that one then because you’re kind of the planning board liaison fella, and just so you know, the playing board chair has asked to read a, um Statement in favor of it as well. Um So So Bill. If you want you could move the motion and recognize Marie.

00:33:57,100	And, then you can speak to it after she speaks to it if it’s a Marie speaking, Yeah. Is, um Do you also want to recognize someone from the H DC because the H DC is And supportive of this article. And just think that the more people we can Rick, do you wanna Yeah, I understand.

00:34:22,200	In the presentation, starting off at Somewhere. I To be a not Marty cause Marty asked Patrick to have prepare something for her to say so. She better talk to him. OK? OK? Designated more enabling life. OK OK. Well who? Whoever It is like a moderator now. So, read the motion and recognize recognize, let the man in charge in contact.

00:34:58,500	OK and then That’s fine with OK, Excellent. Uh, can you get that you Ricky? I if I can bother you, OK, All, Right? Come up there If, you got more to say. OK? Sorry. All. Right? So. We got that one figured out then. OK, uh, 2-12 Community preservation budget.

00:35:21,470	Uh, this one’s in the consent. Uh, Jay butler speak to it if it gets held Uh And, then all these C PC ones are J Butler. So 2-13 2-14. 215 Is there gonna be any kind of presentation of fire truck stuff as Ray or anybody gonna talk? Laurie, do you know Um They should just be ready.

00:35:50,200	Yeah, I would say Read the room. Yeah. Perfect. And OK, perfect. Right 2-16, the Opioid Special Revenue Fund. Uh, John. McGrath is gonna speak to that one or make the motion anyway. And that’s on consent as well. If it’s held, I should say. Shall speak to it. 3-1. Uh, that’s Mr Knudson.

00:36:23,930	I will move that one and answer any discussion on it. Uh 3-2 acceptance of General Law chapter 32 subsection four C to B. Uh, and this is a consent item if it’s held Who’s gonna. What’s this one. This is the the one The reserve stuff. Yeah. Do. You want to speak to that If it’s Uh, I. Tell her.

00:36:49,530	I can do that. We’re gonna have to figure out what I’m gonna say. But all right, Yeah. It gets out. I will do Um 3-3 S Citizens petition Bill Shields will move this one. Uh, same with 3-4. And I’m. Assuming 3-5 is there we go scroll down a little bit more. And then we will adjourn at 930. Great.

00:37:23,730	Sunday Morning. Just Kidding. Just April 4th. Oh, yeah, yeah. I’ll be in my pajamas. I’ll be wearing this shirt. I didn’t want to. I’ll be wearing this shirt again to Swan song. Should. I have some intro music and come in. Now your exit to the final countdown.

00:37:49,870	All, right any anything else on the warrant that anybody notice wants to move or anything like that? Does anybody else here besides Bill and I to be? You’re not going to be there so you can’t move anything either one of you two wanna throw you out in the ring for emotion or you just fine sitting and looking pretty Whatever y’all

00:38:06,670	need from me, OK? This feels like your moment to shine and I don’t want to take that away from you Got you got you since I have a whole two more ahead of me. All. Right, So I Think we’re I Think we’re good on everything there. Cool. Um Mister bull or anything else Do.

00:38:26,300	We, miss anything, I think. In good shape. Come and Which Yeah. I. Don’t think that’s gonna be a problem. I think people are gonna come. I do have a question I have Is there A snow date.

00:38:52,270	Uh, I’ve had a couple of questions from Wenham residents asking about their their attendance at Hamilton Town meeting. I have I have said, perhaps erroneously that you may come and And watch. They can come. They get a little kind of visitors and they bill also where they can sit in the back. And.

00:39:08,470	Then people mentioned that during the stabilization fund that there were non Hamilton residents who made public comment. And is that allowed? That. There were wham residents making to it because the motion was relative to the regional school district decision subject to the time moderators approval. Bless you. Um If there were Well. Basically Town meeting is for Registered Hamilton voters.

00:39:48,500	Uh, we do? Of course allow. We have a special section for non re non registered voters to to sit in and in the moderators discretion they can call upon Nine. Some nine voters to speak like the DPW director or in the case of a building project, the architect.

00:40:19,800	Um if there were Um When I residents whose Otherwise spoke last year. Then. I’d have to say that, um I dropped the ball didn’t see a, uh, I. I. Guess. I’ll. I’ll be more careful that if somebody comes up To speak that if they don’t have a clicker, then If you can’t click. Don’t come, I guess to the microphone.

00:40:42,270	Um So So. That’s that’s it. I mean? I was asked by, uh, you know, Some people have when I residents could speak and because they’re not Hamilton voters. I already determined that they can’t so it’s basically Hamilton Voters period. Sounds good, Thanks for that bill.

00:41:11,230	All right? Uh, anything else with the warrant or town meeting? All, Right, uh up next we have discuss the June 3rd 3rd party Flags party flag raisings Pride in Juneteenth. And we’ve done this in the past where we three Four years into it. Yeah. Yes, I think that’s four years? Yeah. I think it is our fourth year.

00:41:34,370	Uh, anybody wanna make a motion? Are. We just moving to discuss we we’re voting on raising the flags as we have in the past. And. How is that work? I mean I wasn’t here.

00:41:55,030	The last it’s been, um the pride flag gets raised at the beginning of June on the first business day of June, and then the Juneteenth flag gets raised on the holiday this year because the holidays in the middle of the week, so, uh, it would be, uh, they both times they initiate with like a little bit of a ceremony at about 4:35 P.m.

00:42:08,300	at Patton Park, and that’s where the Would go up. Um, but A Pat and Park. I did Pat Barker and then they They don’t say it for more than well, probably like say, except for the whole month, but then the other flag is only up for a week or Got it. OK So. The.

00:42:30,300	The motion is to Raise the Pride in June. Flags in accordance with past practice. We, uh I move that we vote to raise the pride and Juneteenth flags in accordance with past practice. Um Specifically in reference to 2023 2nd, all right. Did you wanna say anything? Hi there, Anna Zig 227 Highland Street.

00:43:04,870	Thank you for giving me a chance to speak? Um, the comment I wanted to make is that I would suggest an amendment to the motion to simply say annually. Uh, the reason I say that is, I think that the act of having to do this on an annual basis actually detracts from the spirit of it At this point.

00:43:21,400	Juneteenth is a federal holiday, but it’s been celebrated for more than a century. Pride has its origins in the Stonewall riots but was recognized during the Clinton administration. So. These are events that have lasted for Quite some time. I don’t see society going back on them anytime soon. Of course. Any motion by any board can always be reversed.

00:43:36,630	It can always be changed. It could always decide not to fly these flags in the future, but I actually would argue that the annual discussion onto itself is somewhat hurtful that we have to come together to say. Do.

00:43:55,100	We really want to fly the Juneteenth flag? Do we really wanna fly the pride flag at the fact that you’ve referenced past practice, I think speaks to that. At this point, I would simply say the motion could be Fly those flags annually in the town of Hamilton, and then we wouldn’t have to have an annual conversation to debate the relative merits of this because I think if you’re a member of one of those marginalized

00:44:10,370	communities, if you are a black American Or a member of the queer community to have a governing body say Do we really need to fly the flag again into itself is somewhat hurtful, so I would just suggest that the motion becomes annual and It’s annual You just do this every year, just like you have done

00:44:27,630	just like municipalities have been doing and continue to do so. Thank you. Thanks, Anna. Alright food for thought discussion. Uh, yeah, I mean interesting, interesting comment, and I wouldn’t say I disagree with it. I just don’t think we can do it. Based on our all the discussions we’ve had we have to.

00:44:44,730	We have to sort of open up our the policy that you have to vote it annually, so we’d have to do that, But but I have them in the policy. I appreciate the comment.

00:44:54,870	I think there’s some things that make sense about it because we always we vote for a lot of things annually. That would be nice if we just voted it and it just became part of the practice until another board decided to do something differently. But I think it’s a good point, but I don’t know that we can do that today.

00:45:06,800	So can we circle the flag policy? I haven’t seen it in. Don’t. We love That bill is just now coming into our flag policy a year and a half. Yeah. I mean we talked about it like last March. I think a little bit right? And, uh, Flag policies. And I Look at the banner policy, too. The banner.

00:45:24,400	You Better get voted back on so that you can deal with that. Once and for all. So. I mean I, I. We’ve got a motion on the table.

00:45:36,100	I think Anna’s suggestion is definitely valid and to your point is valid, too, that we can’t really do it because of our policy currently But. I think it’s worth and then I’m off of this, but I think it’s up to you guys to carry the torch and we talked about it when we made that policy to revisit it from time to time when we needed to, So this might be one of those

00:45:47,670	times for a little kind of housekeeping on that is my suggestion. Yeah. Yeah. Let’s revisit the policy. We may have it done before June, so yeah, maybe. And, then you can just revote it before you actually officially do it. So any further discussion. Right.

00:46:06,370	All those in favor of flying those flags. Say I. I Thank you, everybody. You guys have it? Um Review proposed Select board meeting scheduled in July through December 2024. They look great to me. Jo. Even been waiting all day to say that I’ve been waiting all day for you to Yeah. I.

00:46:32,100	Can’t I apologize? I don’t I mean if you wanna say Share it too. I’m Sure. Let me put on my readers. I can get the font Really big Hold on. I just got to get my, um Monday And. Uh IN, The LSU is up by five. In. The packet is page 32. July. 1st and 15th.

00:46:57,630	15th Excuse me. August 5th and 19th. September 9th or Tuesday, September 3rd with asterisk. Uh, September 23rd or Monday. September 16th with aster. Uh, October 7th October 21st November 4th November 18th December 2nd December 16th So Normally your schedule is 1st and 3rd. But because the first Monday, and, uh September is made, Uh, September 3rd.

00:47:34,800	I offered you the other day. Which. What? What you’ve been doing lately? It’s a five week month so it’s not a big deal to bun. But the SEC 2nd 4th, You’ll still have a kind of a standard time in between meetings.

00:47:48,470	Um, but if you wanna stay on, uh If you want to stay on the 1st and 3rd weeks, then you could do the Tuesday after Labor Day. Which would be the third. Instead of the second. Your choices Or. Maybe not maybe our to the third is the state primary to be have to be Wednesday. The fourth or stay with the ninth and 23rd. Thank you, Corinne. It was sorry.

00:48:11,800	The so the third is out. The. Third is out. It could be Wednesday the fourth if you unless you wanted to just accept the ninth and 23rd. I think the the ninth is fine. I like to keep him on Mondays. Yeah, me too. Okay.

00:48:26,800	I think Actually, it works out really? Well, like the schedule actually works out compared to calendars, and I think it’s actually zip bump in the end of your holidays. No, check that out. No. It’s good. Yeah. I was I was very much paying attention to this year. I know it’s good. Stays away from my birthday, too.

00:48:42,370	October 14th close to mine this October 14th, So I get my Monday off. T shirts out for your birthday. Yeah, they look good to me, Do I? I make a motion to move to approve the July through December. Slight meeting dates. As proposed. Second, right. All those in favor say Aye, I have it. Got it? Yeah.

00:49:12,770	All, right? Uh, Next is Update on proposed chapter 40 B project at 133 Essex Street and discussions with the applicant about the project. Yeah the, uh well, you you can start. I’m Sorry. I.

00:49:33,000	Uh, so as many of you have heard through the grapevine and we’ve discussed with everybody kind of in between meetings that we’ve got a proposed 40 B project at, uh, 133 Essex. Um as we know they’ve gone through the planning board process pre 40 B and they brought back a proposal to basically do a similar development there with nine more units before it was 50 now would be 59.

00:49:53,800	Um, Joe and Tom and I met with them, Um Couple weeks ago now, probably about three or four weeks ago, and they’re basically getting all their paperwork together and we’re talking about, um How. The select board. Um Could help them through the process and and possibly give them a A letter of, uh, endorsement for the project.

00:50:16,730	We talked about kind of, um Wanna say compensation is not the right word. But, um Making it a more friendly 40 B mitigation. Some mitigation. Um and we discuss a handful of kind of different options with them in the meeting.

00:50:34,870	Uh, they’ve come back with a couple of different things, but along the same vein, um But in my opinion We’re gonna have a project there regardless. Uh, in this seems like the The best possible outcome. We get numbers on our SH. I And.

00:50:54,300	We get tax money and the amount of acreage there using there, they’ll be maintaining the trails, adding a parking lot for the trails a bunch of other different kind of compensations that they’ll be doing for the mitigation part of it. So for me, it seems like a a win.

00:51:09,630	Um, but I know there’s a lot of people post the development there but looking at it fiscally, and over the years we’re gonna be in court a long time fighting something that’s gonna end up being there and we can kind of get something out of it and get the same development that in my mind wasn’t a terrible one to begin with. So Yeah be in favor of negotiating. Beneficial items for the town.

00:51:21,370	I just don’t know how long it’s gonna take to do if we’re doing that tonight or not, But that would be I think it would be beneficial to understand how it could, you know, because we sort of fighting. Fighting.

00:51:36,270	It’s always better to negotiate and get something that’s a win for the town, especially with the trails and the funding for the trails and access to the trails and purity to the trails and all that stuff but be interested to go through that process. So can can we like Put together a grid kind of side by side with those comparisons between the two options and That. We can bring it back for future business.

00:51:53,470	I don’t know if somebody has that or we can we can we can pull it. We can put something together. There’s something you want to talk about in public about what some of those current concessions are we not at that point now to talk about that.

00:52:09,470	I figured so, where it was left was the, uh the applicants were going to file um, with the ZB A, which they have not done that They filed their package with the C VA last Thursday or Friday. Um And. Their attorney is supposed to be contacting, um Amy Questel from K PR, who’s representing the town on on our behalf. In this matter.

00:52:28,630	Amy is also going to be conducting a 40 B training with the ZB A. The ZB A is currently constituted has done some, um 40 B projects, but none of the members that are currently on were chair at the time and they’ve asked for a little bit of help. A little refresher. So. Amy is gonna be doing a public training with them.

00:52:45,670	Uh, I believe that’s April 3rd nights from now. Yeah and and I would encourage. I’ve done a few of these 40 B kind of training things over the years. I would encourage anybody on this board. If you wanna go? Let Joe know just so he can post for it, but it’s definitely worth going.

00:52:57,900	Cause even though our board isn’t really involved in the process, besides possibly endorsing the project. It’s really good to know cause we you guys are gonna be feeling a lot of questions about it. It’s good to have that knowledge. About.

00:53:11,100	What what the process is and and what the timeline is and what you can do and how you can get some skin in the game. So the the attorneys will talk as well. And Amy will draft uh, on behalf of to Hamilton.

00:53:30,730	A a letter of recommendation that would include the things that the town has asked for in consideration of your support, and, um, that would be reviewed by you, probably or possibly an executive SES. As. It still kind of up in the air. Um, and if that was approved, you could submit that letter and as long as the Opponents. The applicants, um, complied with the request or agreed with the request.

00:53:48,130	Then you would be in more or less what would be considered a 40 B? Um, uh, category friendly 40 B. Um Situation where that is also helpful to both sides where it cuts down on the amount of, um And amount of time that it would take an appeal. 40 BS can still be appealed even if they’re friendly.

00:54:05,900	Even the slide board signs on the, uh the abutters still have their rights to appeal the project, but friendly 40 BS definitely move through the System faster. Right and and I will say in talks with the developer.

00:54:25,530	The the project is other than nine more units is very close to this proposed project from previously And and I’ll mention it similar but different situation in Ipswich. They have a situation where they protested a project and now the developer is doubling the size of the project because he’s upset with the town basically, and he can because I couldn’t tell you last time in my tenure. That, a 40 B project has stayed has allowed it to be stopped.

00:54:43,670	As. Far, as I know, there’s only one project that was stopped, and it’s very convoluted the way the way it got stopped. There was only one project that was not supported by the state. The court basically has approved every 40 B application that’s gone before.

00:54:58,200	It’s just How long does it take for them to get Through the process. Um The applicant here in this case is proposing 99 additional units, but I think that it would be. It’s got to be 25% of the units to be a 40 B.

00:55:15,130	So 25% of 59 is 15 units, I think and, uh, they would be in perpetuity so they will be for sale units, but they will be in perpetuity. And. That was one of the things we talked about. In the in the past the 44 C units usually have a a life expectancy, 30 years or 40 years, But.

00:55:28,000	He’s not proposing that he’s proposing that they will always be 40 B, affordable housing units and As, as is the case, as was the case with his original proposal for the For the site they’d be proposing to put the rest of the land, uh, where the trails are into cons conservation restrictions, so nothing else would ever get

00:55:42,870	built there again. So. It’s so just so it’s not misinformation out there based on not there’s 59 units. 25% would be affordable, affordable. It’d be for sale. Not. All all 15 hour would be for sale not for rent and then local preferences is based on what? Based on the state.

00:56:02,130	Yeah? Yeah state federal government. Very. It’s very tough to get. I mean even even when developers say you get local preference. The state really doesn’t let you get the local preference like you think you’re gonna get it.

00:56:16,630	It’s because of the way the lottery is and stuff like that, so we could say it, They can say it, but it usually doesn’t happen the way still 55 and over 55. So 55 and over And how in the same developer 55 and older the caveat, though, in order to qualify for 40 B, uh, they do allow.

00:56:36,370	Um uh, for a One child or or a Children under the age of 18 to be living in the house with the 55 year old owner. Uh, so if I older parent who adopts or a grandparent has Cus custody of their grandchildren, they would still be able to stay there, so right and and I’ll mention one other thing, that that with the project those 15 units Won’t be

00:56:54,930	different from the other units. You know the other units are gonna be 750 to a million dollar homes. Those affordable units will be the same house. They’ll just be affordable units. But those are or are not age restricted. I thought you couldn’t age restrict 40 B.

00:57:13,300	You can you can, But as long as Children are allowed to be in it. You can’t age restrict Children out of the out of the development so that he they’ve been very clear up and up front that Children will be allowed to live in the affordable units as as long as the owner principal owner is somebody at

00:57:27,630	their age. The owner occupier, right? Not an owner, right? Not sublet, right? I don’t know if we want to say more. But. How does this dovetail with the active Lawsuit so that’s currently both sides in that have agreed to, uh, pause the legislation the legal case rather than not legislation

00:57:50,530	both paused the, um the legal proceedings and If. The Town supports the current negotiate they’ll and they get they get their permit from the CB A. They’ll drop the they’ll drop the other case.

00:58:13,030	OK and then This might be two in the weeds, but the core Push back From the planning board. Was, um like Maximum build space in all areas, and so is it the same Space and adding nine or did everything get smaller? And? They just added more units. It’s very close to the same space. If. I remember plans they’re not I. Can’t. They’re not townhouses or duplexes. Now.

00:58:36,470	They’re ones and whatever. But the The footprint is pretty much the same. And help me remind me in the If it’s a rental. They all count if it’s sold only 15 count. How’s the number only. Yeah if it if they owned then the active Affordable units of only 15 Count 15. It’s a rent. If.

00:58:57,770	It’s a rental. They would all count right because it’s owned. It’s only 15 count towards our numbers, OK, but we we can’t negotiate that. I just wanted to understand the That’s Why with the Willows that that all of them count even though they’re not all affordable. So Any other questions on that.

00:59:17,570	So how What’s is there. Timeline for this that we’re trying to future meetings. I’m expecting that We’ll get, um, something from Amy at the by the end of this month you have another meeting on the 22nd and then another meeting on May 6th. So I I.

00:59:34,170	You will probably see something in draft form from, uh, the attorney. It will will probably already have been reviewed by, uh, the applicant so you’ll you’ll have what they’re agreeing to right now and then you can review it and discuss it. Uh, Like. I said. I have to determine if we can do that in executive session.

00:59:48,000	Because. We’re negotiating. Um or you may decide to have like it started out when Tom and Sean Sean will be off the board, so you need to designate two people to go. Um, when the new chair could designate two people to go and carry the ball forward. And. They’re not here to talk about, I think today.

01:00:05,100	No, no. If they had filed. We probably would have had them. Talking to us more. They just wanted, you know, we just wanted to bring the whole board up to speed. Sean’s going off. He actually knows the most about this now. So trying to You know, bring you up to speed as much as possible.

01:00:28,000	We can deputize you. All right? Anything else on that. I mean there. There’s a lot of moving parts right now, I would say if you can’t attend that. Thing, uh, with the ZB a That kind of, uh, with Amy. Yeah, because she’s gonna talk about timelines and stuff like that.

01:00:45,100	And those There’s a lot of timelines involved in it. So All right, um Any new business. Aren’t we coming upon root view and goal setting season. Yeah? Yeah Soon as, uh, you don’t have to worry about it. Well as soon as, um the new folk the new folks join, then you’re gonna that first meeting you.

01:01:05,670	You, pick all your officers, and then you set a I like to set a goal session after that. Didn’t We try to get review feedback before then board switched over last year, though We did the last one so late, though. Yeah.

01:01:24,730	All right, well, I, I would say button up a timeline on that where you actually put it in the calendar, and it’s It’s a automatic thing. Pretty loud now, huh? I believe we need a gavel in the drawer. She, didn’t we? The chair next, uh, near the chair next week. Carl you do you want? Thank you? Thank you. I appreciate that.

01:01:41,130	But. Yeah, that’s it. I’d suggest a retreat, Maybe at the boathouse or somewhere like that. Yeah, absolutely absolutely. Uh, nothing else. The new business anybody Motion. To adjourn. All right.

01:02:01,730	All right, all those in favor of future and John, you want to say anything on you? No, thank you, Everybody. And. If little words I Yeah, I have it. Giraffe. A rap. One more Thank you? You do have to meeting you just got to make it through