Select Board: September 23, 2026

Transcript captured from MHTV’s Vimeo auto-captioning. No speaker labels; proper names and dollar figures occasionally misheard. Click any timecode to jump to that moment in the source video.

0:00 All right. So we will call the meeting of the select board to order on Wednesday, September 23rd. I’d like you to know that this meeting is being recorded. We have three members present, with Ms. Noonan and Mr. Grader absent tonight. Open up with public comment.

0:20 Going online? No. All right. Beautiful. Patrick, move on. Time for his update. Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The one update I have for you tonight is an update on the Coffee School FB. Okay. We conducted a site walk yesterday for potential bidders. It was handled by Allison Jenkins, our chief procurement officer, Chief Jason Gilliland, who had the keys to the building- Mm-hmm … so folks could get in there, and Jacinta Williams, our town planner, participating in the walkthrough. There was a total of 10 potential bidders, folks looking at it. And so basically, the purpose is to walk through the building for them to get eyes on, take a look at it, at the site, ask questions about the site, look at the existing conditions, so that they can have all the information they need to put in very responsive and well-informed proposals. So it’s in our interest that they have as much information as possible for the proposal. So we are somewhat encouraged based on the level of participation. The deadline is October 19th. So, this gives these potential bidders enough time to assess the information, build it in their proposals, and submit for the October 19th deadline.

1:54 Great. Excellent. Well, thank you for that. Any questions? No. All right. We’re moving along here. Next up, we have Roe from Veterans Agent to discuss our POW chair. Thank you. Yep. Oh, sorry. And you’ve got a sidekick as well. I do. Appreciate that secret snuffing club sergeant for captain. Roe, you’re our captain. So I did between- Danny Driver. Yes. Good evening. So I am come to you before to present the POW MIA chair dedicated to those who never made it home. To date, there are over 83,000 military members, both men and women, who have not made it back. Either missing in action or former POWs. And over 30, 130 cities and towns across the Commonwealth has a chair similar to… Well, not anything like this chair because this is an old chair. This fits into decor, and it’s a chair of honor. No one is supposed to sit in it, hence the stanchions and the flags, and I have a plaque, so I will unveil that with the commander. And, I got one of the first ones when I was in Winter Gas, the VSO, and Speaker Leo had paid for the whole thing. Mm. And back then it was Rolling Thunder who was doing it. So it’s just a chair of honor to recognize those who have not made it home, who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice. So if I may open the chair and show it to you?

3:25 Any idea through the chair where it came from or? Oh, Chief Jason. Oh, Chief Jason. I think it was the Masonic Lodge. Oh, cool. It’s over 200 years old. Oh, great. And it was one of the only ones that wasn’t damaged, and then I restored it in my side office there and refinished it all, and I think it came out pretty good. The VFW donated the stanchions and the flags, and we paid for the plaque, and the chair, again, was donated, so it didn’t really cost much at all. I thought it was supposed to go in the chamber. Multiple. Right. Multiple. Beeswax and- It’s kind of lonely. It’s that. That’s why you’re here, Chief? You’re doing fire watch? Sorry. He took it down from the fifth floor of the Mason Hall. I want to see pictures. And when he took me up to the Mason Hall, I’m like, “How are we getting up here?” So I had to find my two flagestias after going up to the elevator to the third floor. And then we came for it, and Bruce helped me with setting it all up. So it’s a team effort. Willisia helped me, and so it’s truly been a group effort in putting this together. Well, thank you to the team. This is overdue, and I’m glad that you’ve brought this forward. Last time I came here and I asked Thatcher about it and he’s like, “No.” I’m like, “This is one of the oldest town halls in the Commonwealth. Why don’t we have that?” Well, now we’re about to. Well, I’m going to show it to you. Great. Excellent. Commander?

5:11 And if you would read the plaque, Mayor? You got my glasses? You should wear them. Let this empty chair serve as a memorial to those who served in our military of our great nation, but have not returned home to us. They are prisoners of war or missing in action. The Army will forever be grateful for your bravery and sacrifice and service to our nation. We will never forget. God bless all of us. God bless America. Dedicated by the town of Marblehead, Marblehead Veteran Services, and Marblehead VFW Post 2000. So with your vote, Mr. Chair, do you think it stays on right here or it goes back in the hall? I understand this might not be a huge celebration, but we will follow our formalities for sure.

6:09 Okay, Roe, you got anything else? She wants to be there just in case you have paradox. Jason, can you get over and be ready just in case you have paradox? Great up in this honor. Yeah, no, I’m not supposed to. Exactly. If I could have a motion to accept the placement of the chair and coordinate placement of the chair in Abbot Hall with the town administrator. Second. All in favor? All right. Congratulations. Thank you. Real, real quick, I just wanted to add on, I wanted to thank everybody for taking part in the Company of Heroes road race, walk, everything else. Rumor has it that Moses is still out walking the route, so we will see about that. I also want to thank Rosanna for her coming to the race and everything else. First year we did this, with Kate Van Auken, we had 17 people that did it. Second year it was 67. Latest race was 123. Great. We raised over $7,000 for Company to Heroes, which provides PTSD dogs to veterans. I just want to thank the town, all the selectmen, Marblehead police, fire, everything else, for allowing us to do this. I know it’s never easy running through town on a Saturday. But I want to thank everybody for their help. Bigger and better next year, so looking forward to it. If I don’t get to talk to you again, we’ve got a big event coming up in November for the New England Center for Homeless Veterans. But also too, please make sure that you’re available for Army Navy, things like that. Roe and I will be duking it out downstairs in the bunker because she’s former

7:40 Army and we’re Air Force. But thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you all again. Remember, Jimmy Full always wins. I know he always do. You never lose. You never lose. Thank you very much. Thank you. So pleased to. Thank you. We can’t wait to- So, Mr. Donald, we thought this would be best to fill the void in here, not that you have the author online, but basically a portrait. Well, we appreciate that. Absolutely. And yeah, well, Patrick and Mark, we’ll love to have your input as well, since you guys were instrumental. And it’s a full dedication on Veterans Day. Great. That’s wonderful. Amazing. Great. No problem. Look forward to it. Great. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Have a great night. Thank you. All right. Next up we have Historical Commission. Pam Peterson, if you want to come on up? Donation to the town of some portraits. Pam. Good evening. Evening. Peter just wanted to, we’ve got the letter from Sharon Heim- Right … about donating. I just wanted to give us a little history. I know you and I were discussing before. So this is a donation that we just received over the summer, the end of the summer, from a woman who is sort of tidying up her affairs, and she has these four portraits from her family. And it’s fascinating because the four women are related by birth or by marriage. And

9:14 they’re all from 19th century Marblehead, and none of them are- … famous women, but several of them were wives of ship captains, several others were involved in maritime trade, and they all lived in Marblehead all their lives. So last year, we actually had a couple of people who commented that there are no portraits in Abbot Hall of any women, which is true. And that is because we don’t have any portrait. We didn’t until now have any portraits of any women from Marblehead. So having this essentially come out of the blue is really wonderful. So we would like to install them here in the Select Board room, and somewhere on this wall. One thing, the image of Judge Story, who was certainly an important Marbleheader, but that’s a photograph. It’s not a painting. And it’s very badly faded. And so we would remove that, slightly rearrange things, and put the four paintings on this wall, so that they receive some prominence. And then Judge Story will come back once we’ve gotten a new photographic image. I was just saying to Dan, I believe the original is at the State House in Boston, the original of that painting. But we can get a color reproduction of it to put in either that frame or

10:48 potentially a smaller one, or however we do it. Obviously, we’re going to have to do some rearranging in this room, in general, to figure out where the chair might go. So, anyway, that will be part of our project. So anyway, but this is a great opportunity to introduce some women into Abbot Hall and also into this room. And so we were very pleased to receive it, and we wanted to inform you of it. Great. Okay. So Story’s coming back, that’s- He will come back, yeah. I just don’t know if we can get a good copy of that image, it will be that one, or there may be another portrait of him somewhere that we don’t- There is one in my office. Of this one? It’s not the same. It’s a different portrait of Justice Story. So maybe we can just swap it out? We could put this one. It’s fading in the room. Yes. Well, this one really has- Good idea. The one thing- Fading away. The one thing I did notice, although it’s photographic, it was donated, and then redone through slate. So I think there’s some sensitivity to that. So I would say if you can get the same- Same image … image. That is the intent, because it would be the same image and go back into the same

12:22 frame, so it would have the same plaque on it and everything. Yeah. I know there’s a book, “The Women of Marblehead.” Mm-hmm. And by chance, these women probably are not in that book. I don’t believe they are. But that would’ve been really cool- Yeah … if they were. Right. The women of Marblehead’s an interesting mix of women that are in there, but again, they are often not necessarily famous women. That’s right, yeah. Not famous. But people who certainly lived. So is it very characteristic of lives that they lived in the time period that they were- I think that’s great that they have come about. Yeah. Great. Nice little nod to some women in history. It is, yes. For sure. So very serendipitous that that just happened. Great. All right. Okay. Thank you for coming tonight. I appreciate you spending all that time. Okay. And Dan, as I was mentioning, I think you should go to the State House and tell them we want the original. Okay. I volunteer. Sure. So if I get a motion to accept as a gift to the town, four family portraits from Sharonheim, and put in the care and custody of the Historical Commission. Installation of portraits shall be coordinated with Town Administrator and Historical Commission. So moved. Second. All in favor? Thank you, Pam. Thank you. Have a good night. You, too. Next up, AMQ from the head of DPW to talk about ride, road, and sidewalk improvements. In particular, their implementation of Article 11.

13:52 And Maggie, good evening. Good evening. Maybe your portraits will be up next one assumption. It’s amazing to think of this one. I know. It’s one second. That’s okay. And I saw the letter from her like, “There’s not a woman in it.” Yeah. It’s great. So the floor is yours. Okay. So good evening, and thank you for having me. I’m Maggie. Tonight, I’m excited to walk you through how transforming Marblehead’s streets and sidewalks into safer and more accessible, more connected networks than ever before. We’re going to look at how a street moves from assessment to construction, how Article 11 has allowed us to elevate our standards, and the results your support have made possible. We also will be previewing what’s coming next, including new tools for communication and public access. This work is more coordinated, more strategic, and more community-centered than ever, and I’m thrilled to share our progress. Our goal is simple: fix the right streets at the right time, once. To make this happen, DPW blends pavement conditions, safety needs, accessibility requirements, and utility coordination, so we’re not just resurfacing old roads. We’re building long-lasting, integrated public ways. This is how we achieve total street projects, by combining engineering data with real-world coordination. It’s smarter, it’s more efficient, and it protects the taxpayer’s investment.

15:25 Every decision is grounded in real data and formal planning documents, pavement assessments, sidewalk network analysis, ADA compliance planning, bicycle facility work, and resident input. There aren’t isolated plans. Together, they create a full picture of condition, mobility, safety, accessibility, and demand, guiding us toward designs that match each street’s needs. The result is predictable, clear, data-driven project selection. Here’s the heart of our approach. Condition, utility review, scope development, funding path, and prioritization. The workflow helps prevent streets from being repaved before planned utility work occurs. It incorporates ADA upgrades into the initial project planning process, and it promotes early coordination of funding. Most importantly, it ensures that each project is completed appropriately the first time, maximizing the long-term value. Tonight, I would like to show you this in practice.

16:31 When streets are in decent shape, we seize the opportunity to improve sidewalks, ramps, and connectivity. These projects are fast-moving because the utilities do not require planned improvements and design needs are minimal. Examples like West Shore Drive, Lafayette Street, and Tedesco Street show how we enhance safety and accessibility even when the pavement doesn’t need full reconstruction. This is how we elevate our network without waiting for pavement failure.

17:03 Streets with poor pavement condition and completed utility upgrades are ready to go. These projects move through the workflow faster because utilities do not require planned improvements and design needs are minimal. These become prime candidates for the total street treatment, appropriate road rehabilitation, sidewalk ADA, and network improvements. Streets such as Elm Street, Commercial Street, and State Street demonstrate how quickly a location can move through the workflow once utility conditions have been confirmed. Some streets require comprehensive total street treatment. Utility upgrades incorporated into the improvement plans. Rather than paving a street, then excavating it later, we coordinate with the utility providers to ensure that water and gas, for example, and other infrastructure projects are completed first. As utility work progresses, the Department of Public Works develops the scope for corresponding public way improvements. Streets such as West, Mystic, Florence, and Bouvier demonstrate how effective coordination can accelerate utility projects and advance the roadway improvements. Before Article 11, most of our work relied on Chapter 90, limited state funding, allowing only basic resurfacing and minimal sidewalk upgrades. Article 11 transformed our capabilities, supporting full holistic total street

18:36 projects that combine roadway structure, sidewalks, ADA, utilities, and connectivity. This map is an example of tracking maps we plan to make available on the town website. Article 11 authorized $12.475 million, and your support has turned the investment into over six miles of full total street projects, plus minor rehabilitation and major ADA and sidewalk advancements. We’ve expended $4.17 million, committed $1.82 million, and have $6.48 million remaining. The funding is delivering real, visible results across Marblehead. What’s next follows the same proven workflow. A few highlights. Pleasant Street road diet, turning the corridor with the crash history, including two fatalities, into a safer redesigned road. We put in a grant application for $1 million. The total cost is approximately $3.5 million, which will be supported by Article 11 money. Curtis, Roosevelt, and Maverick, approximately $1 million are slotted for public way improvements. Utilities are done and it is ready for the total street redesign. $1 million has been put towards sidewalk upgrades town wide, and $800,000

20:09 for minor road rehabilitation, which is for sections of Pleasant Street, Humphrey Street, and Evans Road. While all this is going on, we’ve coordinated with utilities, so Laurel Street, Doane Street, Washington Street, Front Street, Gregory Street, and the Prospect Street area have utility projects that are underway now. We’re moving from reactive repairs to long-term infrastructure planning.

20:37 This year, we expanded public communication significantly. Residents now get regular Marblehead TD updates, we have an updated town meeting, and website updates. We have monthly traffic safety advisory committee briefings, and every two to three weeks prior to a project, you would get advance notice. Weekly website updates, Zoom meeting, Zoom neighborhood meetings before construction, and 24-hour paving door tags. Communication is faster, clearer, and more consistent, but we still need to keep improving. So what’s next? We’re launching several major communication tools. Marblehead Alerts is already up and running and will be used for additional notification for the next roadway project. That is launched now. We have an FAQ page, which is centralizing project status, funding sources, and workflow explanations. That’s expected to launch by October 2026. We’re working on our foundational GIS map. So that’s your GIS base map. We’re developing the foundation GIS base map to support a public-facing project information map. That’s expected to launch internally summer 2027. Then we’ll be building an interactive public map. Past, current, and future capital projects will all be visible online. There’ll be a map on the town website of past, current, and future projects, and

22:10 then also your public way improvements. That’s expected to launch, and that we’ll be playing with for quite a while to make sure that it’s interactive and what people want to see. So that will be summer of 2029. This effort represents the DPW’s commitment to significantly improving transparency and residents’ access to information. Thank you for your continued support of the Total Street projects and the care you’ve shown to Marblehead’s infrastructure. Together, we are modernizing and improving safety, expanding accessibility, and building a system the community can rely on. I’m happy to take any questions on the project selection, timelines, utility coordination, funding, communications, or whatever else you might have. So Amy, can we go back to where you talked about kind of what’s next? Sure. I think that’s on everybody’s mind in terms of what the plan is, at least right now. Yeah. So, the only thing that we’re highlighting tonight or showing you is the capital improvement plans, right? So there’s still maintenance going on. You would still see Chapter 90 money that will be put towards designs, or is actually right now going towards designs. And, we still have design work that’s happening with the Article 11 money. But I think the biggest project that we have, and the most important, is what we consider the Pleasant Street corridor. MBTA has already put funds towards a design and the construction of

23:44 the intersection at Smith, improvements for the intersection at Smith, Baldwin, and Pleasant. So that’s one anchor on one end. And then that is the area that we had the two fatalities. So we currently have Apex redesigning what they call a road diet. It’s trying to slow everyone down, so that will narrow the road. That is one of the larger roads in Marblehead, so we have the ability to put in now bike plans, and all the plans converge right here and actually work. So you’re going to see everything that people have proposed that should be done to make things better, you’ll be able to see it in this section. So we’ll have a shared use sidewalk on one side, a different sidewalk, a plain sidewalk on the other side. You’ll be down to two lanes, so you won’t have multiple lanes converging into a smaller amount. There’s space for a bus to still pull over. And that will go from Devereux Street to Smith. Now, even with the money, the upgrades, we’ll also be doing the lights. Even with the upgrades that MBTA is going to be funding for the town, we still are looking at a project of $3.5 million. Unless we get this. Unless we get that, right. So if we do get the $1 million grant, it will be $2.5 million for Marblehead to- So following up on, because this is such a big project and so important, right? Yeah. And so I think you said that there’s about $6 million in change remaining of Article 11, right? So this project is about half of it.

25:14 Yes. And so what’s the thought with the other half? Or not? So the roads that DPW has put forward, and everybody’s taking write down because they really are roads that need to be upgraded, is Curtis, Roosevelt, and Maverick. So they now had poor road ratings to start with. And then they needed a lot of utility upgrades. So water went down, gas went down, then water went down. And if you go down that, that brought the road rating way down, because now you have two large trenches on opposite sides of the street. They’re also digging in a street that isn’t very thick anymore, right? So as soon as they start to dig, it starts to crumble, so the trenches look even worse. Trying to patch them makes it very difficult because the road just kind of disappears as you cut it. So, those are part of that project. Those are estimated $1 million. Those right now are in deep discussion with our consultant about what we do with the public way. How much sidewalk do we install? Those are dead-end roads. But they all do have somewhere that you want to be connected to. So, it might be coming off the main road that you need some sidewalks that get you further down. And then we are discussing neighborhood greenways or safe streets, which would be some kind of sign and some kind of slowing traffic down and letting people know that you’re sharing the street with a bike or a vulnerable user or walker.

26:46 Maverick Street, we’re looking at, there are sidewalks. So where there are sidewalks or holes of sidewalks, that would be continuing to where the sidewalk goes, is where we are right now. Granted, this is all in discussion right now. And these roads are really difficult because they have a lot of parking, they have a lot of trees, they have intermittent sidewalks, and they’re pretty much dead ends that don’t go anywhere. So we have to take that balance into account, how we’re going to do that piece. You mean balancing because it’s a dead end and it’s not necessarily a priority as far as traffic and safety, but then obviously they’re in poor condition. Right. So as you go through that grid When you get to the sidewalk assessment and advancement, that’s where we start to question. And of course, we have a longstanding thing of not taking trees down here. So trees are difficult because they push your sidewalk further in to the street. Then all of a sudden, parking has to be removed because you don’t have enough space for parking and a tree, and the sidewalk. So, we’re working our way through that. Maverick Street is, we’re planning on sidewalk right to the rail trail, right? That’s an access point, that’s a connectivity point. Very similar to Bouvier Road, which has a path that goes somewhere. So that will definitely be sidewalks on both sides, I think. At least on both sides, we’re planning there. And then we’re talking with what we do beyond there, because now you’re a dead-end street, it’s quiet. So, that will be where that goes.

28:18 So there’s another million. Then, right now, I’ve proposed that we hold a million for our sidewalk upgrade. So, we put in two years ago for a grant for, it might be one year ago, for ADA ramps down Tedesco and Humphrey Street. That’s why you didn’t see us do those. We did Washburn Drive first, hoping we were going to get that money. We were denied that grant or not awarded that grant, so that will be the next place we look. We’re going to look around target school areas and then Humphrey and Tedesco to get those ramps in. So, that’s kind of your slush bucket too. You can do ramps, you can do five ramps, you can do a whole bunch of ramps. So as your funding starts to get restricted, that would be a spot that you would have to wait and put those onto the future projects. And then the next one is, we’re looking at $800,000 for roads that are major throughways but do need some kind of utility upgrade. But the utility plans do not have that work happening in the next three, five years. These roads do have a lower road rating and need some type of it, so we’re looking at minor rehabilitation on those roads. And that’s basically what Marblehead had done all the time in the past, right? So we’re just going to mill and overlay those roads, or maybe just overlay, depending on which road it is.

29:49 Which ones would be examples of that? So we’re looking at sections of Pleasant Street, which are Pleasant Street from Devereux Terrace, because mind you, the first part’s getting a full total streets. So we’re going to go from Devereux Terrace to Prospect, because Vine and Village was done with the TIP program when they redid that. During a drain project, you got the next section of Pleasant Street paved to Spring. So then we’ll jump over and do Spring to Watson, and then you’ve had Watson to Washington paved recently. So, we’ll stop there. So those are the sections of Pleasant, and then we’re going to look at Humphrey from Maple to Tenth Corner or to the high school. So that would be paved. And then if anyone drives down Evans Road, Evans Road is one of those that they consider just unraveling. That will need design work if you were going to do a total street project. It does need water upgrade, it does need gas upgrade. So, that one, just keep the road together until those times come. That is just a straight overlay. It might be a mill and overlay, so we can make all of the grades at the different sidewalks though. Is Washington on any of those? So Washington is, if you go back to the workflow, Washington is stuck in the utility upgrades right now. So the gas company has committed to doing the utility upgrades, and I can’t thank them enough for being great partners with Marblehead.

31:20 We didn’t have a lot of gas work done previously. It was all just kind of patching. Now that we have put our pavement management plan forward, they’ve been really good partners in trying to get ahead of us. So Washington Street, you saw them do some upgrades right here, from Five Corners to here. I don’t know how much they did there. But they did go down to Rockaway Street. Now they’re picking up at Rockaway Street and going all the way to Orange Street. Okay. So you’re holding off on that because you’re in that chart, you’re in the utility replacement, so then once that’s done, that could become more of a priority. Yes, exactly. As I said, while the utility replacement is working, we’re also looking at the design, because that’s not what Maggie likes to call a book job, right? We have to look at the materials that sidewalks are already, because a lot of them are not really conducive to accessibility. We have to look at telephone poles, because they’re actually in the middle of where we need to put ramps to get across the town hall. We’re also looking at some narrowing and what we can get in without losing parking. It also is part of, you’ve already invested in the Five Corners design, right? So, we don’t want to do anything beyond Five Corners design. We still have that design- Where does the Five Corners design fit in all this? So the Five Corners design, while utilities are working, the Five Corners design is part of the design. So they’re working on that piece of design, and then once that is settled, we’ll move them up the street, the designers up the street to make sure

32:54 that we can get it- So here’s a question, and this will be my last one. I’m sure they all have questions too. So what happens when the utilities are ready for that, for Five Corners, and then your design’s done, right? Because you’re working that parallel, but then you get to the point and you don’t have the money. Right. Like because there’s other projects that are ready, right? Yep. So that 6 million seems it’s going to go pretty quick. Yep. And so the timing, so then what happens to that? It waits until– You can’t borrow Chapter 90 money. No, we can use Chapter 90 money for that, right? Chapter 90 money is limited. It’s generally around 400,000. This year, we got 600,000 without a gas tax. That’s how it comes. We could go back to 200,000 one year. So it’s not something you can count on, but it is something that you gather your Chapter 90 money, you wait to pave everywhere else, and you say, “We’re going to pave Washington Street.” Or you do just a sidewalk. Pieces of the sidewalk, not the whole sidewalk. So those will be difficult decisions for Marblehead to make. Now, when they voted in 2022, the idea was that this was going to happen every five years. You were going to fund your streets for the next 20, 30 years at that rate. So every five years, you were going to give 12 or seven five to the town to continue with that. And if you go back to that presentation, you’ll see they have a whole bunch of graphs of where you’re trying to be, and that basically

34:27 that 3.1 million a year, roughly, which part of that’s your Chapter 90 money too, it’s supposed to maintain where you are and give you a slight increase of where your roads are. Marblehead’s a little difficult, though, because they just looked at roads, they didn’t look at utilities, and utilities have been, gas utilities, and water was slow for a while. Water’s been cranking out work for a lot of years right now. The drainage project was huge, but they are hard to say that if you only spend 3.1 million you’re going to see huge raises in where your conditions assessments are. But they definitely, cast iron gas from the early 1900s, and I’m glad to see it replaced right now. Terry, you had a question? Yeah. So, as a matter of fact, I was heading out of town about 6:00 a.m. this morning, up on Pleasant Street, approaching Baldwin and Smith, and all of a sudden, the light change coming inbound, and the usual jockeying for the lane, two cars hit each other. The big huge pickup truck came into my lane. I just missed it, but that is just a horrible place, and the sooner we can get that done, the better. And that was just- Yeah … to me, we call the fire chief, but they didn’t want to walk and stuff. But anyhow, no, it’s very good.

35:58 Personally committed to making that section safe. This morning, this happened to happen. On 6:00 o’clock, this just ended up. But anyhow, the question I have is timing of all this stuff. We heard about a lot of streets, and the question I always get, and the question I have is, when is this going to happen next year, the year after? A good example, we always hear about Washington Street here. Understand there’s utility work. But does that mean, I try to respond to people, and you always say, “There’s utility work, there’s this.” And they say, “When? When is it going to be done?” And I don’t have a good answer. So do we have- That I know there’s a lot of moving parts, but when is Washington Street kind of done? When is Pleasant? What are the jobs for next year? That is, I think, what people are asking for. Do we have that or can we- So we don’t have a five-year plan is what people want to see, right? Well- Water and sewer, you can kind of do a five-year plan. No, I don’t think- When you get to the roads … I think people want to see a couple of things. One is what’s going to happen in the next year or two, and then there’s specific hotspots. We hear about Washington and Pleasant, when those are going to be done. I don’t think there is as much concern about five-year, unless it happens to be Washington or Pleasant or one of those. Which Washington, for all I know, the utility work might take five years, but I

37:30 don’t know that. That’s really what I’m, in this design work and all that, and I think people will feel better if they see that timeline. And we know what we learned from Bouvier Road on the other end. People want to know what’s actually going to happen this spring, and that’s a real– So I think there’s two things going on there, and I think that was the lesson from Bouvier, is people didn’t realize what was coming. And I would say it was me on- So- Yeah, so … that I think is a communication issue. Okay. But yeah. I think that when we started this, the town meeting we started talking about and we came to the select board and talked about roadways 101. Yeah. That was really to understand, and if you call DPW and they say, “When is my road going to be paved?” Well, gas is there this year, so next year’s water. You’re looking at three to four years before you get your road paved. That was said to Bouvier, West, Maverick. And after the first, everybody’s pretty okay when gas goes down. When water goes down, they start to get really frustrated. And then by waiting, which you have to wait for the freeze-thaw and to make sure all your trenches are correct, that time period is when people don’t want to see you anymore. Right in the middle of the water project, people are pretty done seeing construction. Prospect Street is right there, right now. Right? Prospect’s not on my list for the Article 11 money because it didn’t make it to the

39:05 flow yet for the funding, so that will be, maybe we’ll have to go back in front of town meeting and say, “This is what five years has done. This is how you see it.” So I understand that, but what we know is going to be done, whatever it is- So what I just told you is what will be done in the next three years, two to three years. But what is going to be done in 2027, in 2028? That’s- So I don’t want to jump to 2020. Oh, so the other thing we’ve done also is- Well, just 2020 … there’s a working group. We’re all talking about how designs work, how things happen. Every job we’ve been to, we’ve learned something, and it’s created a pause for the next one to make sure that we don’t make those same, they’re not wrong, but same decisions that people are upset about. That’s why Maverick Street and Roosevelt and Curtis are with consultants now. Right? They could’ve been book jobs. Would’ve been very simple, but- So when you say consultants, you mean full design so that- Yeah … people who are making sure- So consultant-wise would be, we’ll have a surveyor come in and mark things. Okay. That’s going to take funding that isn’t private. I understand. What street’s going to be done next year? Do we know that? So in the next two to three years. No, next year. Next year. So this fall, I hope to see, of course, you’re at the end of the season now, right? Yeah. So we have requested, we’ve given him a big list because we still have a contract until June 30th. DNR? DNR. Right. So he’s got sections of Pleasant Street.

40:36 He’s got Humphrey Street, section that I read from Maple to- See, that would be very helpful because I hear a lot of complaints about those two sections. Yep. But keep going. So these are what we’ve put forward to him right now. Okay. This is what we want to have done. We have time constraints and other people constraints, but whether he gets it- But if DNR- But those are on there … if DNR came back and said, “I can’t do it till next April,” that’s- And Evans Road is on his list. Okay. I have a separate question about Evans Road. Okay. Well, Evans Road is on his list. So if he doesn’t get it done this fall, we’ll be out the gates in the spring with those three. Okay. And I heard about Roosevelt, Curtis, and Maverick are those- Those I hope to follow right after. Okay. That’s- In the spring. Those aren’t going to be done this year … knowing- But in the spring … the short-term interest people have, I think it would be helpful to have that somewhere that we plan on doing these in the next 12 months. I realize there’s a lot of, Pleasant Street is going to take a lot of work in certain sections, but certain sections will be improved. And Washington Street is hot button, but if people can understand that it’s– If I could tell someone, people say to me, “You work at the hall, and the street is horrible.” And if I say, “Well, it’s going to be like that for three years because of design work,” that’s fine. So, just getting that- And what might happen, that town administrator at the end of the third year might say, “Take the Chapter 90 money and Mellon overlay, this section of Washington

42:10 Street.” Okay. “But we won’t do the sidewalks until later.” That’s- That’s where it could end up … that’s fine. So I think my interest, after hearing all this, is what is the next 12 months? And, as you know, over in my neighborhood, we did a private road. It takes about two years to do it, to figure it out. And- And you didn’t do your water, so you didn’t upgrade the utilities. No, but that, sure. Two years, and we actually had Eric come out. I think you sent Eric out to do a flow test because- Yeah. No, by understanding that he is- We rubbed our hands. Are we going to get the eight-inch pipe or the six-inch pipe? And I talked to, God love him, Kyle Siegel, and he said, “No way. You’re not getting nothing.” But believe me. But anyhow, so the- The water and sewer does run with it, by their depth, because they only dig things out. Within the- And theirs is all done on water quality and fire flow. Don’t- So it’s different than a lot of- It sounds like you do have line of sight, at least based on design being done, based on some other moving parts, but that you do have some line of sight as to what- It would be helpful if we could get out the next, whenever you have good confidence, which I think is 12 months, maybe 18. Right. And- So we have those listed in our first FAQ sheet that we’re putting out? Okay. Is that- Is it with a map, too? Because when I say- Yeah … Pleasant from Rockaway to this and that- Right … most people, except I wish the fire chief, can’t visualize the streets.

43:44 So all of them, so that would be helpful. That’s what– And that was a sample of the map, and that won’t be- The other thing, I have a question about Evans Road, is if I go down to Kyle Siegel’s old house, God bless his soul, is that end unaccepted? I keep hearing that end of Evans Road is an unaccepted road, that to Washington- I’m sure it was across the street that’s in question. The end where it’s- On the other side of West Shore Drive. Yeah. Oh, it’s the other side? That’s what I thought, but I’ll double-check that. Okay. But a- And I can’t remember if- … part of Evans is in question as being unaccepted, is that- The extension, I think, but I don’t- Okay. I thought it was because the part by Kyle Siegel’s old house, see, that’s why you need a map because people say, “What is this guy talking about?” I know where Dr. Drethall lives, too, and I don’t even know him. Or did live. Oh, okay. So Evans is on there. But I think the important part is when that facts comes out, is the 12 to 18 months, and then there’s a list- I will tell you that I’ve gotten a lot of pushback because it kills me to pave a road knowing that I have to dig it up to do all these utilities. But common sense does say- Yeah … if it’s going to be 10 years for a utility, you might as well pave. So, okay, and I don’t want it to be labored, but if Don Dolgov was here, he might say, “I’ve got the 400th anniversary coming up in ‘29. Is Washington Street going to be done?” That might be- Mm-hmm … and if the answer is yes, that’s good. If it’s no, whatever, fine. And that’s the kind of feedback we want to get, right?

45:15 Because that changes from a total street project, right? Because that might slow it down- Yeah … waiting for the design. Pleasant Street, we’ve been talking about how to design Pleasant Street now for- Since 1998. Yeah. I’m not kidding. Only you and I on the last, that section. So that might be where you do what we’re doing right now on Humphrey and the other sections of Pleasant, but still need the utility upgrade. Let’s just build that. The 1998 conversation ends. So where are we on that design for Pleasant Street? I’m speaking off the cuff, but I think that was $18 million we were at right now. No. Is it completely designed? So when will the design phase be done of that? Of the portion you’re going to- Of the portion from- Yeah … from, I think it was from Smith Street to Deborah Terrace. Yes. I don’t have a date on that. We meet with him tomorrow to get the exact- But not- There’ll be a few months … that’s 48. No, no. That little section. But I think that’s what Marblehead needs to look at doing is sections, not these humongous projects. Yeah, like Jim said from his example this morning, that’s obviously the- Yeah … probably one of the most critical areas in town. And I just want to also highlight, so there was two fatalities. One was a former planning board member, one was a high school student, and then there was a critical bike accident at the trail crossing there, and it also spokes out from the

46:47 trail, which is a utility corridor and the backbone to the town’s active transportation network. So it does link between your schools and gets you kind of off that- Almost every school … yeah. When we wrote the grant application, you have to check a mile radius from the project area, and we hit every public school. Yeah. So if we’re picking the heart of Marblehead, we found it. And- I really hope we get awarded that grant. Yeah. Because that will allow us to do more work. If we don’t get awarded that grant, then everything I just said might get done, we have to look at it again because funding always is going to shift. Yeah. It’s definitely worth it. And just to shift a little bit to the communication. So then what’s next? I think that FAQ page is going to be really big for the community to be able to just kind of at least a starting point if they have more questions they can call. But I know the FAQ page you have for water and sewer is really good. It’s very easy to use. It’s one of the obvious questions people might have. So I think that’s going to be very useful, especially to Jim’s point, just even highlighting what part, year by year, 12 months at a time. Yes. Knowing that things could change based on funding or priority or something else happening. But it sounds like there’s a lot of good work here, and it’s not easy. And right now I think that FAQ page is going to have a stagnant map with things on it. Once we get to that interactive map, that’s a whole different story.

48:18 Yeah. That’s next level. Yeah. That would be great. But right now you’re going to have to stick with the map that was in this presentation. Like- So will the interactive- … here’s what fall is, here’s what spring is. Will the interactive map be like my job if enabling actually gets delayed all of a sudden, the end project automatically gets delayed, tackling like a smart sheet or something? Probably. I don’t know the amount of that in the end, but… You’re going to click online on a street, and it will say, “This was paved in 2010.” It’ll just drop down- No. … that kind of thing. Just with all that goes into changing this- Project … so you have a plan to do Washington Street, then National Grid told you, “I’m going to be done with my work in April of 2028,” and then you get a call, “Well, it’s-“ So we could definitely- Yeah. And by the way, I heard they’re thinking of canceling the yellow pipe project, but we can work on that on a different day. But true, let’s see. Okay. Yeah. And that’s why if National Grid’s willing to put people here and put design in and do it, I’m taking it as much as we can. Here for safety. Because I have heard that they’re going to stop that. And it does bother me that we have a cast iron pipe from 1901 that’s still carrying gas through- Yeah … a lot of these neighborhoods. So I’ll take it. Yeah. And that’s what they’re addressing right now. It’s going to be very painful, though. Washington Street, Front Street, Gregory Street, those are- Sure … very painful.

49:49 So I’d like to close off here. Thank you. This is very informative. For those looking at it for the first time, it seems very simple, but I know from sitting with you all, Louisa, I know you’ve helped these guys out. There was a lot of hard work. Thank you. And seeing your different books, is it the blue book or the green book? Green book. Green book. And all these different components that go in, and that you guys had this in your minds and putting it on paper, I know your engineering, to simplify this was, it’s great. So thank you for all the time you guys put into this. I know that it was a big effort to compile years of information in one place, so I think it’s very helpful. Thank you very much. Thank you. And thank you for your help, as that was very difficult for us to get down to a simple workflow. We just wanted a crayon. Yeah. Like everybody else. Give it to us. Doing it in your mind for so long. Years with these. Forget it. So all right. Well, thank you all. Thanks, Mike. Appreciate it. Thank you. All right. Moving on, we have a license revocation hearing for 257 Washington Street, Hank Barrelman. There was a certified letter that went out on September 11th to Benjamin Newman to both his private home as well as The Barrelman. We do have a certified receipt that it was delivered. It’s attached in your packet. Top of the mind, you guys have it in yours, too. Mm-hmm. Yes. And it does not look like Ben is here. The last communication that we did have from The Barrelman was back in July.

51:24 He was unable to attend our board meeting when he called us trying to update Ben, and it looks like he was trying to clean up some issues, I will call it, for certificates of standing for DOR and DUA. And as most people probably know that he did sell the property. However, the liquor license still stays with him and that property until it’s transferred. So with him not being here tonight, we do have a couple of options. We can actually vote to revoke the license. Oh, no, I’m sorry. Sorry. So we can vote to continue, or we could vote to definitely suspend the license due to failure to appear, and to send notice that license need to appear before the board at the next meeting of October 14th. Now, suspending the license doesn’t take it away, suspends it. It’s giving a notice at that time, if he doesn’t show up again, we then have the right to revoke it. Did we hear anything from him why he wouldn’t be here tonight? No. This receipt just said unveiled it. We didn’t get that. We didn’t get to that. Right, but I mean- I’m sorry. Right. Okay. Yep. No. And I’m sorry to interrupt. Just briefly, do you have choices we have? So we can start the revocation process. We can vote to wait about six months. No? I think he needs to be in front of us. He needs to be in front of us. So I think our only option tonight is to– I thought he had to– Is suspend the license or not act at all.

52:58 Correct? So we could suspend the license indefinitely, and then we would send notice and ask him to come back to our next meeting, at which time he has the right to come and ask us to give us his plan, basically, on how he plans to move forward. We haven’t heard anything. He did sell this. I understand that he has sold his property to Honeycomb. Looks like they are doing some work in there. And the next step, regardless, even if he still had his license, was to apply for renewal in November, which in order to get that, there are a bunch of conditions which would include the chief going in, passing permits, inspection, all that type of stuff, which to my layman’s eye, doesn’t look like he’s going to be there anyway. This is not just one more thing here. According to him, and I think we’ve got some different things, but according to him, the last operating day at The Barrelman was New Year’s Eve of last year, so 12/31/2025. And so he’s been aware that he’s had to do something with this? Correct. So I would lean towards the suspension until he can come in here. I think suspending it gives him a, at least, elevates us to the next level, lets him know, and the new owners, if they want to come in, and put some pressure on him to get in front of us. I think we have a right to know what’s going on with a license that has not been used for 10 months, basically. Yeah, because we have limited licenses.

54:29 We have limited licenses to begin with. So I would tend to lean that way as well. And if we did suspend it, if Mr. Newman could get it back if he was so declined. Yeah. How long does that suspension last before it’s revoked? So it would be indefinite suspension. And then, in theory, we could Revoke as of March 23rd, correct? So based on when we gave him the notice, we could revoke on March 23rd, which is my birthday, for anyone paying attention, of 2027. Okay. Yep. So it’s- So there would be six months. Yeah. Yeah, we have an empty storefront- Fair … a building that could probably be somewhere. And I hate to discourage that. Without question, I think what we would like to think. So just so you are aware, if we suspend tonight- Yeah … we will send out notice again for October 14th. If he does not appear- Yeah … then, or hear from him, we have the right, according to ABCC, to revoke on October 14th. Okay. But we can speed that up for failure to show up twice in a row. Once with initial notice, and on the second one on Catherine being suspended. And I’m sorry, kind of, Kyle, you mentioned something about being in person. What was that for, to revoke?

55:59 Well, they said the six-month process would start if he was in person tonight, if he wanted to start the revocation process. But since he didn’t show up tonight, they suggest to suspend, and then after the second time, he could revoke. Okay. So if we suspend tonight, and he shows up, then we could have a conversation, at least hear his side. Yeah. And then we could start the revocation process then, because he’s in person. If he doesn’t show up, we have the right to revoke on October 14th. Am I saying that right? Yeah. If he doesn’t show up, you have the right to revoke him- Yeah … to meet. If he shows up, that kicks off the six-month process. Yeah. And if we did revoke at the next meeting, then? We then send certified mail and notify the ABC. At that point, I’m assuming he has a right to appeal. And then if not, the liquor license would come back to the town. From a notice standpoint, can we make sure the address is correct and everything? Just double-check. Right off his application. Okay. Yeah, I just want to make sure, since we didn’t get the green card back. Correct. Right. I know sometimes we don’t… Just make sure that he’s getting the notices and that’s all. Okay. More questions, sir? Yeah, I don’t have a big problem with the suspension either. Seems like the owner, and is the owner of the liquor license, does have some

57:34 additional opportunity to– We’re a little bit low on forum, but I guess if it’s 3-0, then the math works. Yeah, I don’t think it’s something we’re making our final decision. Yeah, I would feel very uncomfortable revoking without having all five people here. Correct. Yeah. Yeah. And the restaurant industry’s been real tough and stuff like that, and I don’t know all the things. I’m a little bit sympathetic, but this will have some leeway to come in and- It does. On the other side of that, we do have some empty spaces, big spaces that in the event that we do get it back, I’m sure there’s some other people who could use that. Yeah. Well, I’m also thinking, again, I’m not trying to play business developer- Yeah … but if there is someone that’s trying to get in that space that currently wants the license- Right … that’s what it is. Well, that means- That’s the next. So if I could have a motion to indefinitely suspend the license due to failure to appear, and to send notice to the licensee to appear before the board at the next meeting on October 14th for license number 00024-RS-0657. So moved. Second. We don’t need to poll this, do we? Okay. All in favor? Okay. Moving along. Next up, we are going to go back and review the Selectboard goals that we did at our retreat over the summer. I think, Patrick, you put together

59:08 a memo for us, sort of going over it all. It’s great how you’ve broken it down based on financial management and the different sections that it falls in. I think what we did discuss, or I know what we did discuss at our retreat was that in order to stay on top of this, clearly a lot of these don’t fall necessarily directly to the Selectboard, that a lot of this is going to be done by town administrator and staff. However, communication and tracking it is something that we can take some responsibility for to make sure, and this all doesn’t fall on one person. So I don’t know if, Patrick, you want to go over a quick overview of what you put together for us, and then we can have a discussion and maybe assign or volunteer for individual goals. And then what I’d like to see is throughout the year, have an update on where we are on these so they don’t just fall into the background, and we can track them, and people can keep them moving forward. So, if I was to summarize the outcome of the retreat, I would put it the board’s goals are centered on stronger financial oversight, preparing the organization for leadership transition, improving accountability and performance management, strengthening long-term capital planning, modernizing communications and governance, and making deliberate decisions about key town assets. That’s the top level, so it breaks out into 13 goals that are listed on the pages.

1:00:41 And let’s quickly run through it. Number one, monthly financial reporting. Number two is a quarterly town school financial review. And we’re anticipating that in October. Procurement of major services. Independent operational review. So that’s having someone come in and look at how we’re structured and organized. Leadership transition succession. So that’s developing succession planning, not just because of town administrator position transition, but looking at the top levels of the organization, department heads. And so what the longer-term succession plan is for that. Performance management. Basically, the board wants to implement its annual evaluation process for the town administrator, and have the town administrator have a goal of implementing at the department head level. Selectboard liaison assignments, so that’s members of this board liaison with other boards and committees of the town. By-law review, to do administrative look at all the by-laws. And as it was highlighted, that I was emphasizing is looking at the personnel by-laws, the priority to update. Capital planning committee, to strengthen that committee’s role.

1:02:11 Long-term capital and debt forecasting. Develop a forward-looking forecast of capital needs. Townwide communications. Establish communication best practices. Amy and Maggie had touched about one component of that in the realm of infrastructure work, but also more broadly for the town. GFOA-aligned strategic budget document. So that’s the main document that ties your goals to the funding mechanism, your budgets, and your department head goals. That’s the document that links all of this together. And then the Turner Road, AKA, the former coffin school, determine the highest and best use and was updated. That is in process. So those are the 13 top-level goals that were discussed with a whole bunch of detail and specific action items behind those. Great. Open to hearing, does it make sense to just go through the list? Or do we have a discussion? Does this accurately represent? Yeah. I feel like they’ve done a great job of summarizing what we did with some more details, like how we have immediate follow-up actions, and also discussing some of the things that we talked about, but weren’t necessarily dropped as goals to move forward with, because it’s a good way to track this.

1:03:41 I would propose that we go through one by one, and either decide whether or not. There appears to be, there’s some here we don’t even need somebody to be tracking. Like for instance, the coffin school, what’s happening. Right. I don’t think we need a lead on that one. Right. But to go through. Yeah. No, because I think we did talk about who would be doing some of them anyway at that meeting. Yeah. Because I already know kind of the ones I had mentioned. So, yeah. So let’s just make sure, just go through on monthly financial reporting. So- Establishment size monthly report that highlights material budget variances, revenue trends, risks, and emerging concerns. Feels to me like that is in process and will be developed as part of what’s going to be reported on the MOU, and then we can do that movement up, basically to being compliant with the MOU and to follow up with that. I feel like that is a good next one. I think it’s a subset. Yeah. Yeah. No, I think so. I’m working with Molly as a lead for the MOU. What we consider really a best practice would be the quarterly update. And so I think the monthly financial reporting is going to flow out of that. That’s going to get established, and then we can go to the monthly version. Yep. And I see somebody sitting over in the corner here who’s going to be very helpful with that. Nick? Yes, Nick. Thank you very much. Thank you. Yep, that’s it. Nick has been working with Molly, and I’ve been working with Molly. So, it sounds like one and two, you’re sort of working on already, continue to work on with Anna.

1:05:13 Yep. And I honestly don’t think it’s a ton of input here. I think we’re going to know pretty soon what this looks like. But if we’re going to assign anybody. Feel good? Yeah, no, totally. I think we’re on track for October. Yeah. I think there’s a couple of moving parts going on. The migration, implementation of UNIS, which gives us a whole lot of accounting reporting capability. There is ongoing work to clean up the chart of accounts to make it– Right? And actually, a little much work. There’s a ton of work going on in the background for those things. The point being that even as we start this process of reporting, it’ll get better and better as time goes. Mm-hmm. Because our tools are going to get settled in. What information that’s being reported out, what will happen is you might get a whole bunch of data, and you’ll look at it and say, “I don’t know what this means.” And then you do a different version. You say, “Okay, now this presented this way is very useful.” So it’ll be refined as you go so that it’s a more useful information tool as we go. So the point being, whatever you do on the first set, it may change over time. Well, we’re going to get feedback on what’s helpful. Yeah, of course. No, of course. It’ll evolve, right? But in speaking to Molly, and working again with Nick as well, we’re confident that we can report on something- Yeah … in October and at least start, right?

1:06:46 We have to start with- We’ll have the quarterly report, as discussed, mid-October with the chairs discuss, and then the plan is on October 28th, that’ll be reported back to the full board, and we’ll use that first quarterly as our monthly, three monthly updates. Yeah. And then we can use that, and we’ll give feedback on what’s helpful, what isn’t. And we’ll ultimately- Yeah, we just have to start somewhere, and then we’ll– But yes, it’ll evolve. So number three, I think with that, am I right? I think for that would be, you feel comfortable- Yeah … since that was, I think you brought that, Aaron. Yeah. Yeah. And I think actually, that kind of falls into the first two, because as we look at the monthly reporting and quarterly reporting, we’ll see if there’s big cost centers. Mm-hmm. And we did one of my favorite subjects, Lee played right into my hand about the legal costs this week in the comment. And as we move forward with the budget, I think for next year, we should look forward, if we’re spending that level of money on legal services, maybe the schools and towns should look to maybe come back to the same level. But I think, yeah, that would be wise to do that. Okay. So the independent operational review, which is a thing that we put out for bid, didn’t get anyone. I think you do have an update on that as well, correct? Yeah. So I’m working with the call center. Once again,

1:08:17 we’re lining someone up for them to come in and start that process. So yeah, we put it on the street. Nobody bit on it. One of the advantages of the call center, they’re a government entity, so we can just engage into an agreement, and they can proceed. So I’ll have a little more information soon as to who exactly and when things will start. In the cost. In the cost, yeah. I’m estimating about 25,000. So, that’s my estimated number. This is a high-level review of the organization, so I don’t think it’s not analyzing deep every position and things of that sort, so I think that’d be- But it’s looking at different boards, maybe how they can work out together. Yeah. Efficiencies, looking at- Cross-departmental stuff. Yeah. I’m going to put Aaron on that one- Yeah … since he drove that. Sound fair? Leadership transition and succession. I don’t remember who brought that one. Anybody here? I may have been part of that. Okay. I think I was– I’m not going to claim- Full … full credit, but the next two I was. So I would like to say number five goes to Aaron as well, if that’s good. And then number six, performance management is all you. Yeah. I think that you brought that, and you had some background in that. Yeah, and I think what we talked about was that actually back in the day, was kind of surprised that he wasn’t going to have a performance- Right … review. Yeah. And I think the way forward is, I think we all agree that the new town

1:09:50 administrator, that would be in the contract. And that would, I think, be a good way to tee it off for the new person. I’m being reviewed, so- Yeah … that can flow down from there. And does Tom Howard have some type of– Can he start working on that, recommendations on what that looks like? Or where would that come from? So there are plenty of example contracts. So the first step, as far as the town initiative? Well, not the contract, but actually like- The review … the review. Oh, that. Yeah. Yeah. We can reach out to the HR- Network … network, is to get the evaluation forms. Okay. Yeah, certainly, if he can get that rolling in advance of the town administrator. Well, we should have it for the town administrator contract, but then we have some ideas in place for the new town administrator. I think it’d be nice to propose something that they- Yeah … but it takes a little time to gather, so if he could, I don’t know, start- Yeah … gathering. So moving on to number seven. I’d like to take that one if everyone’s okay with that. Yeah, I think you have to take it. You’ll take that from- The ethics. Yeah, ethics. Yep. And I think I’m going to start, I mentioned what I’d like to do is start meeting with other chairs to start and then expand from there. Yep. So I’m working on that bylaw review. That’s me. That’s definitely not me. No, Aaron and I have already talked about that. Okay. All right. For those, we’ll go Ari.

1:11:20 And we’ll start with personnel after. Yeah. Because we were like, where do we start? Because that’s hopefully actually- Okay. Yeah. So we’re on that. The output planning committee. Feels- Noonan. Yeah, that’s Noonan. Long-term capital and debt forecast. I don’t feel like that necessarily sits with the board. I think it’s a goal to make sure that is happening with our new head of finance. I almost feel like that comes into play with that monthly reporting and financial oversight. Yeah. Don’t we have a committee? Well, yeah, the debt forecast. So I almost feel like nine and ten go together.

1:12:05 But we also already have this chart in lots of ways- Yeah … Alicia put together, and I think you guys have that, how much debt we have- Yeah … what our obligations are, and when they fade off. And I think what it’s doing is taking that and overlaying it with future capital projects to keep that level. So there is the capital planning committee. Once they figure out, they do a review and for recommendation to town meeting. The actual capital planning is primarily at the professional staff, department head level, where we put together, because you have your vehicle equipment, rolling stock, walls and fences, facilities. So that’s more of an internal process, and then those projects that rise over a certain threshold of a million dollars or above are the ones that then go to that capital planning committee. So the point being that a lot of your capital debt is more of an internal process that gets presented to the boards that accept it. I think we also, a part of this is just evaluating that. Yeah. Is it doing what it’s supposed to do? Should it be composed differently? It hadn’t been realized. Town-wide communications That was me. Unless you want it, Dan. So yeah, I’m happy to let you do that. I think we know who number 12 is.

1:13:36 The FOA is Moses, whether he wants it or not, that is his baby. And then the Turner Road property, as I mentioned before, I don’t think… Where, obviously, we have– Maybe this comes into play if we don’t choose somebody, or if we don’t get applications for- But there’s going to be a committee, right? Yes. We’re going to put together that committee, which after we’ll convene. Yeah. Yes. So, I think we’re going to have a committee on that already. I would say whoever ends up on the committee- Yeah … goes with that. I don’t feel any need to have more discussion on this. Everyone good? Great. Jim? Yeah. All right. Great. After our discussion on flexible work policy. Yeah, so I have sent it to you electronically also, so you can review at your leisure. So I had mentioned I was putting together a flexible workplace policy. I went back. One, I am on the MMA’s policy committee on labor and personnel, and so we had a meeting last week in Boston, and this was actually one of the topics that was discussed. Not the marblehead one, but just in general. And the MMA shared their best practice, which I have on the next page down on this. And I just wanted to do that, get some additional communities as references, as well as conversation with the other members of the policy committee. So with all that input, I’ve created an updated,

1:15:10 revised version. So it’s not just flexible location, which is what I was putting together initially, but it would involve the options of hybrid, remote work, temporary arrangements, which was flex.

1:15:34 Starting, flexible starting and end times, compressed schedules, hybrid work, remote work, and temporary arrangements. So the whole idea is giving department heads a number of tools to address workforce, providing flexibility for the workforce. The key ingredient here, whatever flexible arrangements are done, are done in the interest of the town, to meet all of its duties and needs. So I can lay that out in the top of memo. But we are trying to respond to, one, the situation with the construction at Mary Alley. That’s sort of driving it along. But also workforce expectations. As we’re hiring new people coming in, the expectation in the workforce is having more flexibility arrangements. It’s recognizing all the challenges that as a municipality, we provide a wide range of services and functions. So, not all positions are conducive. By adding some of the other flexibility options, it does allow us to expand the number of employees that may be eligible for some type of flexibility. So the original just remote work is great if you work in an office environment.

1:17:09 It doesn’t work for you if you’re on the street. But if arrangements of compressed work times, altering times, that opens up the workforce that would be eligible for some type of options. Interesting. Yeah. The key factor is this is the decision of being able to do this is at the department head working with HR, working with the town manager at a level. There are no expectations of this. This is not a benefit. It can be revoked. It can be altered at the town’s needs. So there’s setting clarification that what comes first is meeting the service needs of the town first, and then doing those things that are available to accommodate the workforce demands. I also read in there that clearly anyone under collective bargaining, this doesn’t go into effect for that. They would have to go back- Sure … to be part of the agreements with the affected unions. Yeah. So if the board were to accept this, it would immediately apply to the, in here, the non-represented, meaning the non-union- Mm-hmm … it would apply. For any of the collective bargaining units that are not going to be you folks, we would have to sit down and make an agreement with them for it to affect them. And this excludes anybody on the school side. Sure. So this is town side only. So any employees that fall under the school community

1:18:40 are not part of this. School committee manages that side of the house. So the immediate effect would be for non-union, and then obviously I’ve already given the union president a heads up that this is forthcoming and we’ll sit down and discuss. I think the HR support is going to be really important- Yes … there for sure for the department heads. And then I noticed you talked about a flexible, a written arrangement. Yeah. That again, sounds great, but for the practicality of that, again, they’re going to need help. Yeah. For sure with that. Yeah, I mean, there’s some flexibility in that. So of what we’ve had is, I remember the morning we all showed up when the Mary Alley building was broken into. And I just issued the order, “Everybody’s working remote. Grab your laptop. Here you go.” Mm-hmm. And we actually were able to maintain levels of productivity even though folks couldn’t go in the building for a day or so. So there are short-term situations where it’ll mostly be a verbal go. And there’s some definitions in here on categories of flexibility, of ad hoc versus long-term, and then there’s a 30-day. Even in the long-term, there’s a 30-day initial one, evaluate, and then permission to continue the practice on

1:20:15 the longer term. Yeah. And is there timing on this that you would like us to go back to you with? If you’re ready. So sort of tying along with the project at Mary Alley right now, the work that’s being done is not being very impactful to us or the building. In two weeks or four weeks, that may change on us. My desire would be, if you’re ready at the next meeting- Yeah … we can do it. If you- And there’ll be comments about individuals. Yeah. Specifics getting too direct with- I think that board can resolve … along those lines, like for collectors, drivers where people drop stuff off, what will happen to the Mary Alley? So the plan is so up where they are now- Yeah … unaffected. Oh, it is? They’re doing the lower level. Okay. They’re doing all the conference rooms. Mm-hmm. When that is done, we’re actually going to move those services into the conference room, and that’ll be the customer service- Gotcha … area while the other parts of the building are being done. Sounds like you guys actually planned this out. This is, yeah. Awesome. All right. I’m good. Good work. Yeah. All right. Let’s move on to agenda item number nine, consent to agenda items. If I could have a motion to approve the following consent to agenda items subject to usual rules or additional fees. Minutes of May 27th, August 12th, and September 9th to 26th. Abbot Hall, Marblehead High School, and Veterans Memorial Middle School Art Show, May 10th through the 26th of 26th. Opening rece–

1:21:53 These dates right? Yeah. May 10th through the 26th. It’s included for the whole month, but they have an exhibit. But they don’t really pass. Am I just getting really tired? Yeah. Is it supposed to be 27th? 27th. Okay. Just want to make sure. So next, 27th. And I’m assuming that these are all… Yeah. Okay. So Veterans Memorial School Art Show, May 10th through 26th, 2027. Opening reception, May 18th, 2027, Abbot Hall. Congressman Moulton’s Veterans Town Hall, November 11th, 2026. Chamber of Commerce, Trick-or-Treat, Temple Park restrictions, October 29th, 2026. Subject to approval from police and fire. Chamber of Commerce sidewalk sale, Saturday, October 3rd, 2016, subject to compliance with all ADA, fire zoning, building codes. DPW request for Roundhouse Road annual cleanup, October 19th, 2026. Abbot Hall, September 26th, bowling, park wedding, and MHS All Sports Boosters annual door-to-door canvas on Sunday October 18th, 2026 from 12 noon to 3:00 PM. Move. Second. In favor. Unanimous. Moving on. We have reappointment of a registrar. We have one that is appointed by the Democratic Town Committee. This one is coming from Republican Town Committee.

1:23:24 They have asked us, provided response, that we approve Timothy Swiger’s appointment to Registrar of Voters, and that it is the unanimous intention of their members. Do I have a motion to appoint Timothy Swiger Registrar of Voters for the term to expire in June of 2028? So moved. Second. All in favor? How about the vodka? Just a little bit. So we have some contracts. These all– Oh, I didn’t look. Because I don’t have my glasses on. Here’s what I thought. These are all historical commission. First contract is, if I could have motion approved, contract 26-67 for mechanical engineering services between the town and GGD Consulting Engineers Inc., not to exceed $24,400. Authorize Fairie to sign on behalf of the board. So moved. Second. In favor? If I could have a motion to approve contract 26-67 for structural engineering service between the town and Gale Associates Inc. not to exceed $29,700. Authorize Fairie to sign on behalf of the board. So moved. Second. In favor? And a motion to approve contract for architectural services between the town and Nilsson and Studio Associates not to exceed $25,000. Authorize Fairie to sign on behalf of the board. So moved. Second. Yeah, I just have one thing of discussion on that before we vote.

1:24:56 Yep. It says Ed is doing it pro bono, which is great. But then, oh, I guess it’s reimbursables. If he has reimbursables, he needs- Not– Right. Okay. Directly reimbursable to someone else. And that’s all coming from there. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. Gotcha. My understanding, ran it through commission with Adam and chilled it. Yeah, he can do that. He can do this role. Yeah, I’m sure. I’ve known him. Yes, I’m sure he would. Yeah. So we’ve got a motion and a second. All in favor? Approved. And if I could have a motion to approve contract for survey services between the Town and John Punchin for $50,000. Authorize Fairie to sign on behalf of the board. So moved. So moved. And that is for contract number 26-65. All in favor? All right. That was paid for by the grant you all approved- That they- … last month Okay, great. Moving on. We have a one-day liquor license, Little Harbor Printmakers Collaborative on October 19th. I have a motion to approve the application for the following one-day liquor license from Little Harbor Printmakers Collaborative, October 19th, 2026 from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM for beer and wine only at Abbot Library, Pleasant Street, subject to the following conditions. Delivery of and receipt by licensed authority of required fee of $50. Delivery of and receipt by licensed authority of proof that the alcohol be purchased from an authorized source. Proof that applicant can receive proper delivery, provide proper storage and disposal of all alcohol beverages purchased all in accordance with the requirements of GLC 138. Liquor liability insurance. No alcohol is allowed to remain on premises unattended overnight.

1:26:28 And alcohol will be purchased from True North Ales. So moved. Second. It’s approved. Withholding? In favor. Does it– Mr. Zitin? In favor. Mr. Potter? In favor. And last but not least, we have received letters of interest from Donald Henrik for CONCOM and Andy Garnets for harbors and waters. So what we usually do here is we set some deadlines for applications and then also for interviews. Why don’t we give them till– Why don’t we set the interviews for the 28th, and why don’t we close that out, Kyle, the 23rd? Yeah. The Friday before. Great. Any select board announcements? I have two very brief ones. Okay. Okay. Dan and I last week attended- Okay … South Essex Storage, I guess open house. And just two comments on that is, one, that I’ve driven by there 32 million times in my life, maybe 35. It was bigger and more technically complex than I thought. Bigger, it was an understatement because I’d gone by it on the water and the roadside and never been in. Stuff went underground. Yeah, underground. A lot of it’s underground. The other thing, David Masterson did talk about the $400 million elephant, if you will, which is a lot of money, but I felt a little bit better about it.

1:27:58 There’s five communities, and we’re the smallest, so 190,000 population it serves. We’re 20. So roughly, we’re just 10% of that, rough numbers. But with that said, some of the work associated with it, like we’ve already done our pipeline. In walking through this, there is essentially Roble head property on the site, like the intake, and then it’s, oh, by the way, that’s Beverly’s and Danvers’ intake over there. And the last thing he impressed me with is they have 16 different cost centers for all the spending there. And as he said, I love this, you can tell when engineers in charge want to break down the expenses. But the important part of that is, it’s not like going out to dinner with five different couples and someone gets six drinks and dessert. They really break down what you pay for. And we pay forward our pipes, for instance. So, it’s going to be a hit. It’s going to be over time, but I don’t think it’s going to be end-of-the-world type yet. I think I was also impressed by really the need for it- Yeah … from an operational standpoint and their fixed costs. They’re getting rid of the sludge, if we take away the cost of having to move that by diesel. Yeah. And also the fact that there’s not going to be a place for it in Massachusetts. And looking at some of it, they actually talked about some things that have happened that we didn’t know about- Yeah … that could be catastrophic and what would happen-

1:29:31 Yeah … in the event of a contempt decree. Mm-hmm. So, it has turned into a little bit of a political game over there to get this through. Yeah. But it’s pretty clear that it’s necessary. Yeah. And they do it, I think, every six months, and it’s open to the public. So I would say- It’s important … it’s really worth going to. Well, and to look at that water that comes out at the end- Yeah … which is clear as can be. It is. It’s impressive what they’re doing over there. It’s incredible. Yeah. We learned a lot. A lot. A lot of stuff we didn’t want to learn, either. Yeah. Forget about your dog poo bags. Like, that’s not… Yeah, no, it’s incredible. If there’s any questions, fine. The only other thing, I’m enrolled in the Police Academy 2.0, so you have your next chief right here. Okay. Actually, I’m over the age limit, but otherwise, I think I’d be a great candidate. But Thatcher Thatcher gives a lecture every year, and a very good one, and he spoke for a little bit over an hour. And when he concluded it, Lieutenant Ozzie Ostrovich said this is his last lecture because he’s going to be moving on. And I’ll just say, there’s about 25 people in the class, and one of the class members stood up and said, “We wanted to thank you for everything you did for the town.” And there was a big ovation. And I think it’s maybe the first of many, or certainly one of many that’s going to be over the next few months. And it was really– We all know superintendents and

1:31:03 town administrators can be punching bags at times, but this was a mixed group of people that really– It was a genuine recognition, so that was good. So that’s another thing, if anyone ever gets the time to take that police academy, it’s really enlightening. So that’s it. All right. Thank you. All right. With that, can I have a motion to adjourn? So moved. Second. All in favor? All right. Thank you all.