Facilities Manager Selected and Other Select Board Business

January 22, 2020 / Chris Cain /

Following an Executive Session, the Board prepares for the public meeting

This week’s Select Board report will be formatted a little differently. The interviewing and selection of the new Facilities Manager will be the first section and the other Board business will come later in this report.

Facilities Manager Interviews / Selection

As planned following last week’s interview of the five candidates for the Facilities Manager position, the two finalists met with the Board last night. Gregg Lefter and Christopher Pizzi answered questions from each Board member.

Gregg Lefter answers questions from the Board

Christopher Pizzi shares his education, experience, and ideas with the Board

Immediately following the interviews, the Board discussed the pros and cons of each candidate. The unanimous decision was to offer the position to Chris Pizzi – pending background and reference checks. Congratulations Chris.

Regular Board Business

The meeting opened promptly at 7:00 pm. Board Clerk Christina Hein read the warrants to be approved – totaling $567,913.93. The warrants were approved.

During Public Comment, Board Chair Mark Ahronian reminded everyone that the Holliston Pantry Shelf’s annual SOUPer Bowl will be held Saturday, February 1, 2020. Come out and enjoy fresh soup from local folks and raise funds for our Pantry Shelf.

Town Administrator Jeff Ritter shared the following updates to the Board:

Mr. Ritter received an update from Ashland Police Chief Alfano that the revised Animal Control Officer Memorandum of Understanding about the shared resource will taken longer than expected. The Town will use the existing MUO to plan the FY 21 ACO budget.
Next Tuesday, Labor Negotiations with the DPW employees will take place.
Next Thursday at 2:30, there will be a meeting to develop a timeline for the solar panel installation project. The timeline will be posted on the Town website.
The Police Association is ready to begin contract negotiations.
This Friday at 4:00pm, a School Strategic plan meeting will be held at the High School library.
The new Sustainability Coordinator will meet with Mr. Ritter today to discuss his contract with the town.
Also Sustainability related, the Town has received $25,000 – its portion of a shared State grant – from Sherborn
The School Committee is planning to submit a Statement of Interest (SOI) to the MSBA this year – it will be on the Board’s February 3, 2020 agenda

Attorney Christopher Ray represents Mederi at the Board meeting

Mederi, a marijuana business, has a Host Community Agreement (HCA) with Holliston to operate a growing facility on Boynton Road in the Hopping Brook Industrial Park. The firm now wants to enter into a separate HCA with the Town to operate a medical marijuana dispensary at the same location. The Board listened to Mederi’s proposal, received input from Mederi CEO Christopher Pantano, and solicited counsel from Town Counsel Kate Federov and Town Planner Karen Sherman.

Kate Federov (left) and Karen Sherman (right) share guidance with the Board.

The Board asked that Mederi withdraw their application at this time. When the growing business is fully licensed and operational for a few months, the Board would welcome another discussion on the HCA for a dispensary.

Health Director Scott Noles and Brian Moran share a plan for 9 Green Street

The 9 Green Street Committee and Health Director Scott Noles recommended to the Board to enter into a contract with Lord and Associates. The contract would provide necessary reporting and a Licensed Site Professional to complete the first part of the process as required by MassDEP. The Board approved the contract and noted the funds ($13,500 – the lowest bid) could come from the reserve fund.

Board Business:

Approved the meeting minutes from January 13, 2020 meeting
Accepted on behalf of the Fire Department, a $10,000 gift from Middlesex Savings Bank
Appointed Donald Bates to the OPEB committee

The following proposed budgets were reviewed:

John Love presents the Zoning Board of Appeals FY 21 budget proposal – $11,407

The Board approved the ZBA budget which remains unchanged from the FY 20 allocation.

Building Official Chris Canney presents the Building Inspector FY 21 proposed budget — $156,000

The Board approved the Building Inspector proposed budget.

IT Director Chris Meo presents the proposed FY 21 budget for technology. $149,536

The Board approved a 1% increase in the IT budget.

The Solid Waste budget was reduced from its proposed amount to reflect savings from reduced tipping fees with the new system. Also, the Board voted to create a Trash Business District. The idea is that businesses within the District might chose to join the plan offered to all residents. The approved proposed budget is $1,222,851.

The following proposed budgets were approved by the Board: