Select Board — June 8, 2026

John Rossi argued that the Commission on Disability's opposition to Article 31 was being overlooked in the referendum process and suggested the town's communication was discriminatory compared to other departments.

The board listened to the comment but did not respond, as per standard procedure for non-agenda items.

Firefighters highlighted that they have not received a cost-of-living adjustment in over 700 days, which is impacting recruitment, retention, and morale. They argued that competitive pay is necessary to maintain the high standard of service expected by the community.

The board acknowledged the comments but noted they do not conduct contract negotiations from the Select Board table.

Proponents argued the bylaw change was necessary to reduce wasteful spending and pollution. Opponents expressed concerns about the lack of resident education, the potential for unfairness, and suggested that the town should focus on education rather than new fees/rules.

Public comments concluded before moving to the working session.

The board discussed elements of a potential policy, including availability of overflow bags, cart sizing (suggesting a 48-gallon default with opt-outs), accommodations for disabilities and financial hardship, and the use of RFID 'smart tag' technology for ease of use. There was also discussion on ensuring unlimited recycling and managing the impact on large households.

The session served as a way to clarify the board's individual stances to the public.

The board will continue to seek community feedback and research implementation details before drafting a final policy.

The board discussed the shift toward larger volume recycling bins and potential technological features in future hauler contracts. Board members debated the policy on bin volumes and the need for community input to ensure all neighborhood voices are heard.

The board acknowledged this as an evolving plan that will be addressed during the RFP and negotiation period with haulers.

Include technology/volume requirements in the RFP and continue community engagement.

The club underwent interior renovations affecting the licensed area. The hearing addressed the amendment of premises without changes to the existing hours of service.

The application was unanimously approved by roll call vote.

The Assistant Town Engineer proposed keeping the temporary bike lanes installed during MWRA construction to avoid the cost/damage of grinding them out. Board members debated the length of the 'temporary' extension (2-4 years), the loss of parking spaces, the impact on local businesses, and whether the green paint required Historic District Commission (HDC) approval.

The board declined to approve the extension immediately, requesting more data on the impact on commercial/residential abutters.

Engineering to solicit feedback from affected abutters and report back to the board, potentially by the July 6th meeting.

The Communications Advisory Committee (CAC) recommended a six-year contract with budgets reset every two years. Discussion focused on shifting capital costs to cable providers, potential fundraising efforts by Lex Media to reduce town reliance, and using data (views/clicks) to evaluate the 'return on investment' for various programming levels.

The board moved to approve the six-year contract with a specific commitment to current service levels for FY27 ($200,000) and FY28 ($225,000), leaving later years unquantified in the motion.

CAC to finish negotiating the contract; Town Manager to execute.

The Board expressed significant concern regarding Eversource's failure to address double poles and unused/loose wires within a 500-foot radius of the work site, specifically noting a pole at Mass Ave and Muzzy Street. Board members debated the tension between needing the power upgrade for local businesses and enforcing the town's policy on pole removal. Eversource representatives noted difficulty in identifying ownership of non-Eversource wires.

The hearing was continued rather than approved or denied.

The hearing is continued to June 22nd; Eversource must return with a definitive schedule for wire transfers and pole removals.

Similar to the previous hearing, the Board questioned whether existing lines on poles had been transferred. Eversource stated that while the work is in their queue, no firm date has been set for the transfers.

The hearing was continued.

The hearing is continued to June 22nd.

The Board noted the extreme urgency of this project as it provides temporary power for the high school construction. Unlike the other two requests, the Board was more willing to provide conditional approval to avoid delaying the school project, provided Eversource addresses specific wire and pole issues.

The Board granted conditional approval.

Eversource must submit a schedule for the removal of identified double poles and identify/address the hanging wire on the sidewalk by this week.