The May 26, 2020 Select Board meeting was called to order at 7:03 pm by Board Chair Mark Ahronian.  As indicated by the Chair during the May 18, 2020 meeting, the three-member Board met in person keeping social distance and wearing face coverings.

COVID-19 Update:  Emergency Management Director, Fire Chief Michael Cassidy updated the Board regarding Holliston’s COVID-19 cases and activities to mitigate the spread of the virus.

• Holliston currently has 55 total cases: 27 recovered, 1 fatality, and 27 active cases
• While park and rec fields are open NOT all school fields are open
• The Chief is working with the Town Accountant to prepare a list of reimbursable COVID-19 expenses incurred by the town (including expected costs through the end of Dec 2020).  Right now the total is around $40,000.  The Select Board Chair will certify and submit the list to the State for CARES act reimbursement and other expenses will be sent to FEMA.
• Holliston public safety personnel are patrolling the rail trail (no specifics were discussed)
• Mr. Ahronian asked the Chief to clarify the need for wearing face covering.  The Holliston Board of Health directs residents to 1) maintain social distance; 2) when in a business or when social distance cannot be maintained, a face covering must be worn.  Most importantly, these regulations are not meant to be enforced by citizens.
• Mr. Cronin asked Chief Cassidy to draw up a preliminary plan for when, where, and how the Annual Town Meeting can be held.  The first draft will be presented at the next Board meeting.

Warrants: The Board approved Warrants totaling $1,462,890.03.

Public Comment:

• Mrs. Hein alerted the Board to revisions made to the School Committee budget and capital plan.
• Mr. Cronin thanked the Holliston veterans for putting on a meaningful Memorial Day ceremony.
• Mr. Ahronian echoed Cronin’s comments and singled out Bobby Blair’s ‘deep and clear voice’ and thanked Legion Commander Steve Bradford for organizing the event and for all the other things he does around town.
• There were no comments from the public

Report of the Town Administrator:

• As it is coming up to vacation season, Mr. Ritter asked the Board to think about when they might be not meeting during the summer months.
• Mr. Ritter will be using his accrued leave time (two weeks) by taking single days off in the coming weeks.
• A successful meeting was held last week regarding the Lowland Industrial Park truck traffic.  Another meeting is scheduled for late June.
• Mr. Cronin is looking to the Planning Board to develop ‘a sustainable long-term solution’ perhaps including zoning by-laws changes.  Mr. Ritter will set up a joint meeting for the Select and Planning Boards to meet and discuss this ongoing issue.  The joint meeting will be an open meeting to gain the public’s input.

FY 21 Budget Review:  The following 0% increase budgets were approved by the Board:

• Animal Control – $38,000
• Auxiliary Police – $13,764
• Streetlights – $62,432
• Accountant – To be reviewed at next meeting (tonight, May 27^th)

1/12 Budget Review: (These budgets are not being approved by the Board as these budgets do not fall under the Select Board’s budget purview.  Rather this process is so the Select Board is fully aware of the total budget in order to create an accurate 1/12 budget to tide us through the beginning of the next Fiscal Year.  The 1/12 budget must be sent to and approved by the State Dept of Revenue.)

• Assessors – Mary Greendale and Peter Barbieri discussed the Assessors’ budget.  There was some confusion as to what the total of the budget was.  Town Accountant Sharon Emerick will update the spreadsheet for all budgets and distribute to the Select Board prior to tonight’s (Wed May 27^th) meeting. 

• Town Clerk, Planning Board, Zoning Board, and Economic Development were similarly tabled until the updated spreadsheet is available.

Board Business:

• Crosswalk at Central Street:
  • Mrs. Hein presented the Board with proposed crosswalk changes on Central Street.  Now that the paving is complete, striping and painting is next up.  As part of the Town’s new Complete Streets Policy which has been submitted to the State, the following changes are proposed:
  • Eliminate the existing crosswalk from CVS to Fruit Street (below)

• Move the crosswalk that currently goes from the hardware store to the fire station so that it crosses between Mark Ahronian Way and the cleaners.
  • The Board will need orders from the DPW that they can approve before the new crosswalk can be painted.  Mr. Ritter will follow up with DPW Director Reese to get this in motion as soon as possible.

• Town Election Warrant: Board Clerk, Tina Hein read the warrant which was approved and signed by the Board.

• Meeting Minutes of May 18, 2020 – Approved by the Board

• Review of Annual Town Meeting Warrant:  Edits continue.  A lengthy discussion took place as the wording and need for some articles were hammered out.  The Warrant needs to be completed by the end of June for the July Town Meeting.

• Year-end Transfers: None

• Y&FS Software:  Y&FS Director, Jackie Winer presented the need for new software so that she and the Y&FS staff can track the telehealth services now being delivered.  Two software licenses were requested: Simple Practice; $2,100 and Doxi.me; $1,404.  The Board approved the acquisition of the software and recommended a Reserve Fund Transfer to cover the expense.

Other Business:

• Mr. Ahronian updated the Board on the status of the Town Administrator selection process.  42 applicants responded to the job posting.  The Screening Committee has been meeting with Paradigm Consultants and has selected a pool of candidates for first interviews.  The goal is to have finalists presented to the Board by early June.

The meeting adjourned at 9:02 pm.  The Board will be meeting again on Wednesday May 27, 2020 (TONIGHT) at 7:00 to continue work on the 1/12 budget and other Board business.