At 7:00pm on 2.22.22, Select Board Vice Chair Ben Sparrell called the Board’s weekly meeting to order.  Proposed FY 23 budgets were the primary focus of the Board this week.

FY23 Budget Reviews:

• Town Accountant: $186,828         3.72%

Below, Town Accountant Sharon Emerick presents the proposed FY 23 for her department.

• Treasurer/Collector: $370,029     1.2%

Below, Mary Bousquet presents the FY23 budgets for her department and related accounts.

• Debt Service:                      $621,072.66
• County Retirement:        $2,607,227    9.74%
• Workers’ Compensation: $360,200     15.60%
• Unemployment:               $100,000        0.0%
• Employee Benefits:         $8,026,837     3.82%

Board of Assessors – update:

Below, Assessors Mary Greendale and Jeff Marshall (black sweater), joined by Asst. Assessor Kevin Rudden, provide a preview of the changes and potential budget impact in the coming months. 

Principal Assessor Kathryn Peirce will be retiring in the Spring of this year.  Mr. Rudden, a MA Accredited Assessor (MAA), will assume the role of Principal Assessor.  Ms. Peirce will stay on to assist with a smooth transition.  Depending on how the resulting vacancy created by Mr. Rudden’s promotion is filled, the FY23 budget will be affected.  Mrs. Greendale reported that there is a “dearth of assessors” to draw from. This update was just a “heads up” to the Select Board and the Assessors budget is not handled through the Select Board.

FY23 Revenue vs. Expenditures Projection: Mr. Ahern shared this very preliminary look at the expected revenue vs. the proposed FY 23 submitted from all committees / departments.

Mr. Ahern will present his recommended balanced budget by March 5, 2022.   

Warrants: The Board approved the weekly warrants totaling $641,455.15.

Public Comment:

• Select Board Members: None
• Public: None

Change of Manager Public Hearing:

A Public Hearing was opened at 7:45 pm to discuss the change in managers on the Bertucci’s Restaurant liquor license.  Stephanie Albus, who called in for the meeting, introduced herself to the Board and reviewed her credentials.  She has most recently been the Asst. General Manager at Holliston’s Bertucci’s and after 1.5 years of experience in that role is now the General Manager.

The Board approved the change of manager on the liquor license with immediate effect.  The Public Hearing closed at 7:49pm.

Comments from Town Administrator: Mr. Ahern shared the following with the Board:

• State Senate President Karen Spilka will be attending the Select Board’s March 14^th meeting.  The FinCom and School Committee have been invited to attend.  The Public is welcome to Zoom in to hear the latest from the State House.
• Updates from the Community Farm Advisory Committee will be on upcoming Select Board agendas.
• Envision Future Holliston updates will be aired on the premier of HCAT’s “Ask the TA” coming soon.
• The ARPA Steering Group will be meeting on Monday, February 28, 2022 at noon.  The focus of the meeting will be to discuss the use of Holliston’s ARPA grant for the Purchase of the over 900 streetlights around town.  The sale must be completed by March 1, 2022.  The funding will be on the Select Board’s Feb. 28^th agenda.  Mr. Ahern thanked Chris Meo, Matt Zettek, and James Keast for shepherding this purchase along.

Board Business:  The Board:

• Approved the American Legion’s Memorial Day Committee Appointments: Stephen Bradford, Walter McGrath and William Withington
• Accepted the $135 donation from Downtown Marigold to the Community Farm for seeds for the Learn to Grow class to be held this spring.
• Approved the minutes of the January 24, 2022, meeting.
• Approved the placement of No Parking signs on Jeffrey Ave and Lowland St., as outlined by HPD’s traffic safety officer and DPW, to prevent large truck parking while waiting to deliver / pick up from the Stanley Black&Decker facility on Jeffery Ave.

Other Business: None

The meeting was adjourned at 8:06pm.