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Meeting Opening and Liquor License Approval (Link: 00:00:00 – 00:01:00)
Fox called the meeting to order on October 9th with four members present, noting that Alexa Singer was absent. After opening and immediately closing public comment with no participants, the committee moved to consider a one-day liquor license application.
The committee reviewed an application from Kazi Kendall on behalf of the Marble Arts Association for a one-day liquor license on Thursday, October 9th, 2025. Fox made a motion to approve the request for the event at the Marble Arts Association on Washington Street from 7 to 9 PM, subject to standard conditions including payment of the required fifty-dollar fee, proof that alcohol will be purchased from an authorized source, and proper storage and disposal procedures in accordance with General Law Chapter 138. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously by roll call vote with Zisson, Noonan, Grader, and Fox all voting in favor.
The committee then addressed a date revision for a previously approved Veterans Town Hall event at Abbott Hall. Fox motioned to revise the date to November 10th, 2025, subject to usual rules, regulations, and fees. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously.
Veterans Town Hall Date Revision and Minutes Approval (Link: 00:01:00 – 00:02:00)
A speaker mentioned a consent agenda change, and Fox noted that the committee needed to approve the minutes from September 24th, 2025. A committee member made a motion to approve those minutes, which was seconded and approved unanimously.
Fox then introduced the next agenda item regarding a contract from the transfer station for resign construction projects. He welcomed Andrew Petty, who was present to discuss the matter with the committee, greeting him as the discussion was about to begin.
Transfer Station Construction Contract Discussion and Approval (Link: 00:02:00 – 00:11:00)
Andrew Petty explained that the contract covers construction at the transfer station including a new scale house and site work. The project involves moving the scale to a permanent location in a scale pit directly in front of the compactor, creating a new concrete pad for the trash trailer, and constructing two wing walls below where the trash trailer sits connected to the compactor building. Petty noted this improvement will provide residents direct access out of the facility with their own lane, eliminating crossover with commercial traffic, and will include signage and lights for traffic control.
Fox asked about timing, and Petty indicated the project would take approximately six months. When asked about facility closure during construction, Petty confirmed there would be some downtime for the compactor building, acknowledging that progress requires some disruption. A committee member inquired about the scale house design, and Petty explained it would be a full structure with a scale room for the operator, direct communication to drivers, a break room for employees, and storage space, replacing the current temporary trailer. The scale itself will remain uncovered to accommodate large trucks, and the new scale pit will be flush with the grade, eliminating the need for trucks to loop around twice.
Regarding funding, Petty explained the project uses $1.2 million from recovery money and the remainder from the waste revolving account. Fox clarified that the recovery money came from a 2015 warrant article, noting they had bid the project multiple times while chasing costs. When asked about project management, Petty indicated that himself, Steve, and the architect would manage the project, as it falls below the threshold requiring a separate project manager.
Fox made a motion to award contract 2025-018 for the transfer station redesign construction project to Lewis Brothers Construction for $1,590,000 and authorize the chair to sign on behalf of the board. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously. Fox thanked Petty for his work during a recent strike, praising the responsiveness to town citizens. Petty credited his dedicated employees and noted that having the transfer station facility made the town better off than surrounding communities during the strike.
The discussion then shifted to upcoming waste collection contract bidding. Petty explained they would issue an RFP in November for the new contract, which is exempt from procurement regulations allowing open discussions with contractors. He outlined several potential changes including limits on recycling collection, automated trucks for safety and cost reduction, providing 65-gallon trash bins and recycling bins to each household, and potentially moving to every-other-week recycling collection with 96-gallon containers. Petty aims to have a contract locked down by December for implementation in September 2026, noting the early timeline is necessary because contractors need time to build the required trucks.
Petty discussed community feedback gathered through Board of Health presentations, addressing concerns about requiring new containers. He explained the need to control what is received curbside, ensuring proper handling by trucks and cost control by volume. Current recycling containers often lack proper lids or have detachable lids that get lost, leading to recycling blowing around in high winds. The proposed wheeled toters with attached lids would address these issues while maintaining better control over collection.
Road Salt Contract Approval (Link: 00:11:00 – 00:12:00)
Fox introduced a contract with Eastern Salt for the Department of Public Works, describing it as a typical standard one-year contract. A committee member explained that the contract is off the state bid list for annual salt preparation for the winter season, funded from the snow salt defender budget.
When asked about the expected amount, there was some confusion about pricing details, with a committee member noting that Amy had the specific pricing information. Fox made a motion to award contract BH119 for road salt between the town and Eastern Salt Company at $73.80 per ton, initially misstating the amount before correcting himself to clarify it was a per-ton rate. He requested authorization for the chair to sign the memorandum of understanding on behalf of the board. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously.
Fox then moved to the next agenda item regarding a reserve fund transfer with the building department, asking Aleesha and Steve to come forward to discuss the matter.
Reserve Fund Transfer for Hobbs House Windows (Link: 00:12:00 – 00:15:00)
A speaker mentioned meeting with Steve and that the situation had changed in a positive way. Aleesha Benjamin explained that she met with Steve Cummings regarding the Hobbs House, which needs a porch and windows to keep people warm during winter. The project initially came forward as a request but there wasn’t enough capital funding available. After reviewing Cummings’ budget, they found money to cover the porch, so they were only requesting a reserve fund transfer for the windows.
Fox asked about the number of windows, and a speaker confirmed there were 72 windows. The speaker explained they planned to install straight vinyl windows with no frills or grids to keep costs down, noting that while the Hobbs House is not a historic or particularly attractive building, the windows would still be a significant upgrade. A committee member clarified that the original approach was to ensure sufficient funds for the back porch, which presented safety and egress issues, and then use remaining funds for some windows primarily where employees sit. However, Cummings and Benjamin worked out a different plan, finding budget money for the porch and determining it would be most efficient to replace all windows at once.
Fox noted there appeared to be about $9,000 remaining in the budget that would go toward the porch, with the total project costing approximately $45,000 and the requested transfer being $36,000. When asked about potential rebates for upgrading windows on municipal buildings, a speaker suggested these typically come through electric companies, but since the town has municipal light service, they might need to check with the gas company or other savings programs.
Fox made a motion to authorize Stephen Cummings, building commissioner, to appear before the finance committee to request a transfer of $36,000 from the Reserve Fund in accordance with Chapter 40, Section 6 of Massachusetts General Laws for Hobbs House windows and building repairs. The motion was approved unanimously. Fox then introduced the next agenda item, welcoming Emily De Grande for an animal inspector appointment, making a light comment about not biting unlike some animals they had been discussing.
Animal Inspector Appointment (Link: 00:15:00 – 00:20:00)
Fox welcomed Emily De Grande and asked her to introduce herself and explain how she came to be before the committee for the animal inspector appointment. De Grande described herself as a huge animal person who volunteers with a domestic rabbit rescue, physically rescuing abandoned rabbits posted on Facebook, getting them veterinary care and spaying or neutering before adopting them out to indoor homes only. She shared an example of recently transporting a baby skunk from Robin Hood School to a rehabber in Chelmsford, demonstrating her willingness to help various animals despite potential risks.
A committee member explained that the animal inspector position is not easy to fill and provided background on the town’s animal control situation. They noted that Dan, the previous inspector, had moved on but would remain as an Animal Control Officer as long as he maintains his certifications, working alongside Betsy and Laura. After posting the position and conducting interviews, they selected De Grande based on her skills, caring nature, and ability to handle the specific job requirements including paperwork and quarantine procedures.
The committee member detailed that the position comes with a $2,400 annual stipend for approximately 20 to 24 call-outs per year. The role is specifically focused on public health obligations rather than general animal control, and while there is no specific certification or formal training required, the position involves paperwork, accountability, and reporting to the state. They assured De Grande that she would be equipped with all necessary tools and knowledge before handling her first quarantine situation.
Fox thanked De Grande for volunteering and made a motion to appoint Emily De Grande as Inspector of Animals with a term expiring April 30, 2026, and to notify the Department of Agricultural Resources of the appointment. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously. Fox then asked about board announcements, with a committee member indicating they should move to the next agenda item.
Executive Session Motion (Link: 00:20:00 – 00:21:00)
Fox confirmed they were not skipping any agenda items and then requested a motion to adjourn to executive session under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 30A, Section 21. The executive session was called for the purpose of discussing pending litigation in the case Adams vs. Marblehead, case number TLM 24 GL 000655, citing that public discussion on the matter may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the public body. Fox noted that votes may be taken during the executive session and that minutes will be released at a time deemed appropriate by counsel. He specified that the board would not reconvene in open session following the executive session.
Fox called for a motion, which was seconded, and then conducted a roll call vote. Grader voted in favor, and Zisson voted in favor. Fox concluded the open session portion of the meeting, indicating they were proceeding to executive session.
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